Trudeau scraps overseas trip after pipeline protesters BLOCK US-Canada bridge amid ongoing rail shutdowns (VIDEO)
February 17, 2020, 9:27 am

Trudeau scraps overseas trip after pipeline protesters BLOCK US-Canada bridge amid ongoing rail shutdowns (VIDEO)

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller (left) meets with representatives of the Mohawk Nation at the site of a rail stoppage on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Tyendinaga, Ontario, Canada February 15, 2020.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has canceled his trip to Barbados after protests against a gas pipeline that crosses indigenous land escalated, leading to major rail disruptions and a brief stop of traffic at the US-Canada border.

The threat of transport paralyzes, which has become increasingly real after protesters against British Columbia's Coastal GasLink pipeline briefly shut down a key border crossing between the US and Canada on Sunday afternoon, forced Trudeau to call off his visit to Barbados, where he was supposed to drum up support for Canada’s UNSC bid on Monday.

The simmering conflict between the Wet’suwet’ en nation and the central Canadian government, which have long locked horns over the gas pipeline that crosses the tribe’s territory in northern British Colombia, flared up after armed police swooped on a Wet'suwet' en camp on February 10, arresting activists for blocking construction works. Nearly 30 people were nabbed in the raid, prompting widespread protests across the country, which resulted in major rail disruptions, almost bringing traffic to a halt.

The situation took a turn for the worse on Sunday, when dozens of activists swarmed the Canadian side of the Rainbow International Bridge in Niagara Falls, making it impassable for those wanting to enter the US via the famous tourist attraction for about an hour. In their bid to block the road, protesters formed a circle around the entrance to the passageway.

https://twitter.com/mikewalkerctv/status/1229133896702406656

https://twitter.com/mikewalkerctv/status/1229135467561525249

Protesters accuse the government of “invasion of the Wet’suwet’ en nation” and of violating the rights of the indigenous people by preventing local reporters from accessing their lands, protest leader Sean Vanderklis told CTV News Toronto.

Trudeau, who has been in Canada since Friday after an extended foreign tour with stops in Ethiopia, Kuwait, Senegal, and Germany, is under fire for his government’s failure to resolve the conflict with indigenous chiefs over the pipeline, part of the mammoth $40-billion LNG Canada project in Kitimat.

His decision to cancel the trip comes shortly after Canadian Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller reported on Saturday evening that only “modest progress” was reached in the talks, adding that there was “a lot more work to be done.”

Trudeau’s office said on Sunday that the PM would summon the Incident Response Group to discuss the transport crisis and to decide how to break the deadlock.

"Our priority remains the safety and security of all Canadians and the swift resolution of this issue to restore service across the rail system following the law," the statement read.

source: Reuters

Syria’s tragedy shames the world Infected passengers aboard US evacuation flights as China virus toll mounts

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.