Last August, after the United Nations IPCC report declared “code red for humanity,” I felt anxiety about the climate emergency, and urgency to find like-minded people to partner with in climate justice work. I found them at Protect the Planet - Stop TMX, specifically, an interfaith Prayer Circle that had developed among them. I had heard that after two years of praying monthly together on Burnaby Mountain, some of these Prayer Circle members had felt called to engage in nonviolent direct action to stop work at the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) Brunette River construction site. Their example motivated my similar action at the Surrey construction site last November, resulting in my own arrest.
I began meeting and strategizing on Zoom with six other arrestees from the group, and as I did, many of them quickly became my mentors and friends. In the end, my own charges were inexplicably dropped. But as the rest of them have begun serving their prison sentences this week, I wanted to introduce them to you by sharing interviews I’ve done and photos I’ve taken of the Brunette River Six. My hope is to inspire more of us to follow in their footsteps, as they themselves follow in the footsteps of so many other Indigenous and non-Indigenous land & water defenders who have already walked this path.
Janette McIntosh
When I met Janette last fall at a Stop TMX potluck lunch, I was immediately taken by her hospitable warmth. She seemed so sincerely interested in getting to know me that it made it hard to find out about her! I’ve since learned that she’s 58, she is a Presbyterian, she grew up in Japan, and then studied environmental science and community health in Toronto. Since then, Janette has spent most of her life serving and advocating in three areas: Indigenous rights (through her work with KAIROS, the TRC, and Hummingbird Ministries), senior & elder advocacy (working for better access to public transportation), and the her extensive climate justice work.
Last September, Janette was arrested while praying in the path of a TMX excavator, and was charged with breaching the court injunction that allows TMX to carry out its work. Yesterday, on Valentine’s Day, I watched her plead guilty and explain the motivation for her action:
“Based on uncontestable scientific facts, I felt the deep moral and ethical compulsion to act… my prayers, hopes & actions had only one goal that day: for all life to flourish.”
Like most of the land and water defenders who breach this injunction, she was sentenced to 14 days in prison. You can read the short interview I did with Janette below.
Janette, what do you do with your time when you're not "doing time"?
I work with senior-serving agencies to help facilitate public transit literacy, active transportation, and driving cessation - staying active and mobile sustainably.
What do you remember feeling when you were arrested for breaching the injunction?
Janette and two other arrestees embrace at their final Prayer Circle meeting before their court date for sentencing.
I felt at peace, knowing the love and support of the prayer circle friends present with me. The constable seemed really nervous. And I wish I could have stayed sitting longer to prevent the excavator from going into the work area that day!
What do you hope to convey in your statement in court?
That this was not a random impulsive act. This is something I did out of necessity, after years of working with the science, knowing the urgency, and knowing injustice and suffering, with faith, hope, and love.
What will focus and ground you while in prison?
Mindful of the suffering, I hope to be in love, stillness, peace, for climate justice.
Who are one or two of your climate action mentors or heroes?
Grand Chief Stewart Philip, the Late Dr. Sallie McFague, Seth Klein, Christine Boyle as mentors/heroes. But also with and for my adult children, nieces, nephews, and God children.
What advice do you have for those considering risking arrest for climate justice?
There is a time and season for everything. Discern carefully and be well-supported like through the prayer circle direct action group.
If you’re inspired by Janette’s actions, and you want to get involved, there are so many ways to do so, some of which involve risking arrest, and some that do not. Head over to the Stop TMX website for ways to join in on the action, and follow our work on Instagram and Twitter.