Praise

“While the TMX project may sadly be complete, the movement to block its construction will be remembered as historic. This book provides an important record of what was a transformative struggle, both for the hundreds bravely arrested and for the thousands more for whom this project lays bare the lengths to which the fossil fuel industry and its political defenders will go to force this deadly infrastructure down our throats.”

– Seth Klein, author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency and team lead with the Climate Emergency Unit

“This collection of essays by two dozen brave and dedicated citizens recounts one of the most significant environmental battles in the history of the West Coast. These pages speak for tens of thousands of people who participated over the years, many of them risking, and enduring, arrest, among many other hardships. Even if the short-term outcome failed to vindicate them, history most certainly will.”

– John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather and The Golden Spruce

“I started reading Standing on High Ground out of a sense of duty but soon found I was feeling a sense of delight—at the creativity, modesty, devotion, and good humour that so many have brought to this fight against the powers that be. I found it incredibly comforting to be reminded how many good people there are, and I’m confident these testimonies will convince many more to follow their hearts and act in defence of creation and in the spirit of human solidarity.”

– Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and Third Act

“Standing on High Ground powerfully captures the spirit and resilience of those who stood up for the land, water, and climate against a toxic pipeline the planet can’t afford. This anthology is a testament to the bravery and commitment of the many individuals who put their lives on the line and is a stirring reminder that when we stand together, fueled by love and a fierce dedication to our planet, we can challenge even the most daunting of adversaries.”

– Mike Hudema, activist and author of An Action A Day: Keeps Global Capitalism Away

“Standing on High Ground is an important read for many reasons. The succinct history of the struggle against TMX at Burnaby Mountain (with timeline and maps) is very useful. The resisters’ powerful stories provide important insight into how people become land defenders motivated enough to undertake civil disobedience and get arrested. Their courage and the creativity of their actions is inspiring.” 

– Joan Kuyek, author of Unearthing Justice: How to Protect Your Community from the Mining Industry and Community Organizing: A Wholistic Approach

“These moving and powerful stories of resistance, civil disobedience, and incarceration are infused with a passionate love for the earth and a desire to take this world to a better place. These resisters, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, are truth tellers: their courage and sacrifice are inspiring. Their activism is a challenge to those who are indifferent to the urgent struggle against the environmental racism, ecocide, and corporate greed that is ravaging the planet.”

– Pierre Coupey, RCA, founding editor of The Capilano Review; professor emeritus, Capilano University

“The reflections in this book offer insight into why fellow citizens would risk incarceration to engage in illegal, though peaceful, opposition to an oil pipeline. Rebecca Solnit has observed that activists are motivated not by anger but love. The authors of each chapter share not only their understanding of what is at stake in the climate crisis, but also their deep respect and love—for Indigenous nations defending their unceded lands, for our children and grandchildren, for those who have already lost their lives and homes to extreme weather, and for natural places and the species in them.”

– Kathryn Harrison, professor, Department of Political Science; Brenda and David McLean Chair in Canadian Studies, University of British Columbia