A group of protesters gathered at Quest University on Oct. 28 to denounce the appearance of a pro-industry research and communications organization at the school's campus.
A mix of students and other members of the public decried the fact that Resource Works had booked an event that day at one of the university's facilities.
"Quest students and members of the Squamish community marched into the Quest Library building with signs and a megaphone (where the Resource Works meeting was being held)," reads a statement from Malika Bindra, a student involved in the protest.
"The current communication between Quest and its students has been a serious issue lately, and students made sure to show that though the university supported Resource Works, students did not back up this decision."Our purpose with the protest was to tell Quest University that it is not okay with their students and members of the Squamish community for them to partner with groups like Resource Works and the LNG industry."
The school routinely rents out its rooms for events in order to provide another source of income."Quest University frequently receives rental requests for rooms and space for events," reads a statement from the institution.
"In providing rental space to organizations, we remain open to the community. Universities have traditionally been a place in society where contentious subjects, such as the one offered in [Oct. 28's] event, are presented, addressed, and discussed. [That] topic [was] related to energy, climate and natural resources. Part of Quest's vision statement includes that we strive for a more environmentally sustainable and equitable world."Stewart Muir of Resource Works said the intention behind the meeting was to discuss the future of B.C.'s resource communities.
"We accomplished our goal of a preliminary discussion with a group of engaged citizens," he wrote to The Chief. "The goals of collaborative global decarbonization have never been more important. We need more people in this discussion, not fewer. The work is ongoing."He added that his organization is an independent not-for-profit.
However, demonstrators disagreed with allowing Resource Works to rent space, as they said the organization has been delivering a message that is detrimental to the climate."The protesters, myself included, were especially disheartened by this meeting being organized on Quest Campus," wrote Samuel Hoyt, a student at the protest. "A school that has tried to define itself with progressive and often radical ideals in education. By inviting this meeting to be held here, the university has failed in meeting those ideals."
Resource Works describes itself as an organization that shows how industry and environmental concerns can be compatible.It received money from the Business Council of B.C. to kick start its operations back in 2014. Since then, it hasn't received money from the council and relies on donations from organizations and individuals for funding.
"[Resource Works] demonstrates how responsible development of British Columbia's resources creates jobs and incomes throughout the province, both directly and indirectly, while maintaining a clean and healthy environment," reads the organization's mission statement, posted on its website.However, Nick Gottlieb, an organizer of the protest, stated in a press release that Resource Works has produced reports discouraging aggressive decarbonization while saying that fossil fuel expansion is compatible with climate action.
"[Demonstrators] called on Quest University to think about who it partnered with; they called on attendees to think about how their participation in an event hosted by an industry media organization fighting decarbonization contributes to inaction; and they delivered a message to the machines of colonial extraction across Canada: we will not stop fighting for our futures," reads Gottlieb's release.Tracey Saxby of My Sea to Sky was also at the protest.
She said the assembled students were holding the school accountable for allowing Resource Works to host their event at Quest and said students denounced the organization's efforts at "greenwashing.""I think that we're going to see more citizen-led actions like this. People are afraid. This summer's heatwave was the deadliest climate-related event in Canada's history, and an entire town burned to the ground. Yet we're still not treating the climate emergency as an emergency," Saxby's written statement reads.
"The science is very clear that we cannot build new fossil fuel infrastructure like Woodfibre LNG or FortisBC's pipeline. We have to reverse gears and commit to rapid and transformative change...Our planet is literally burning. People are dying. This is only going to get worse if we fail to take urgent climate action."
