Grandpa, 71, mounts treetop protest near Trans Mountain pipeline terminal
It's not the 1st time grandfather of 2 Terry Christenson has spent time in a tree to protest climate issues
Terry Christenson is 71 years old and currently sitting more than 30 metres in the air in a large cottonwood tree.
It's no accident that the tree sits on the property of the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, B.C. — it just means Christenson is living up to his nickname of "the protesting grandpa."
The grandfather-of-two broke onto the property around 4:30 a.m. PT Monday to protest the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
"It was quite an epic climb," Christenson told CBC News over the phone from among the branches later Monday morning. "I'm going to rest for a while."
This isn't the first time Christenson has taken an arboreal stance with his protests. In March, he was arrested after camping out in a tree on Burnaby Mountain for 16 hours to slow pipeline construction ahead of a tree-clearing deadline.
Christensen was arrested and pleaded guilty to that offence, and was fined $2,000. But he says breaking the law and facing criminal charges are worth it, as the battle against climate change is "critical."
"Climate change will impact my grandchildren much more than me and I feel it's my duty to take action to protect future generations from climate change," he said.
He said Canada is already on the path toward cleaner energy, but it needs to continue to diversify rather than focusing on short-term profits.
Christenson, who is also a Juno-nominated musician, says he intends to spend a few days in the tree, weather and police permitting.
"They [the police] are going to be seriously challenged by this tree. And I just want to make sure that you know I don't put them in danger," says Christenson.
In a statement, Trans Mountain said it respects the right to peacefully protest, but "there are many ways to express opinions in a safe and lawful manner."
"The safety of the community, workers and our pipeline system is Trans Mountain's top priority, and expressions of opinions about our project must respect the terms of the injunction that is currently in place," it reads.
Future of pipeline expansion unclear
Construction on twinning the Trans Mountain Pipeline is currently stalled as the government consults with First Nations communities about the project.
The project was approved in 2016, but the Federal Court of Appeal rescinded the decision in August 2018, citing the lack of adequate Indigenous consultation and an incomplete environmental review.
The federal government is set to make a final decision on the pipeline by June 18.