Thousands of students take to the streets to oppose pipelines and Plan Nord

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 15, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Thousands of students have taken to the streets of Montreal as this release is issued to denounce pipeline projects and the Plan Nord, in response to a call from the Coalition Étudiants et Étudiantes Contre les Oléoducs (ÉCO).

The Coalition hopes to block the transport of oil from Alberta's tar sands across Quebec territory, specifically Transcanada's Energy East pipeline and the reversal of Enbridge's Line 9.

"The anti-pipeline movement is gaining in strength with each passing day," said Anthony Garoufalis-Auger, co-spokesperson for ECO. "Today, the Quebec student movement is sending a strong message to those communities which have mobilized to oppose pipelines: we've got your back."

The revival of Plan Nord after the public outcry that met its launch in the midst of the Maple Spring is of great concern to the coalition.

"Premier Couillard is asking the population to tighten our belts, while subsidizing the extractive industry to the tune of many billions of dollars," said Amina Moustaqim-Barrette, co-spokesperson for ECO. "The message today is the same as it was in 2012: the North is not for sale."

The coalition stands in solidarity with First Nations, who are most affected by the looming environmental disaster which threatens Quebec's North.

Launched in early October, ECO currently represents over 100,000 Quebec students. "Today's protest is just the first taste of a sustained mobilization which will continue into the spring," concluded Garoufalis-Auger. "Our generation will not pay the bill for the inaction of Mr. Couillard. These pipelines will not pass." The Coalition plans to organize more demonstrations, and engage in civil disobedience and nonviolent direct action to block pipelines.

Today's protest has been endorsed by a wide variety of well known individuals and organizations from Quebec civil society, including the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ), Équiterre, Greenpeace and the MNA for Mercier, Amir Khadir.

ÉCO website: www.coalitioneco.org
Facebook event for the protest: https://www.facebook.com/events/352345144940065/

SOURCE: La Coalition Étudiants et étudiantes Contre les Oléoducs (ÉCO)

Questions: Benji Astrachan, Phone: [phone]