Hundreds of children swam, cycled and ran during the Squamish Youth Triathlon on Sunday (May 11). A few, however, also staged a small protest during the event.
A number of local youth wore yellow T-shirts with the phrase “Swim, Bike, Run, Smile and Say No To LNG” with a cartoon killer whale logo in the middle. Squamish resident Kati Palethrope helped put the protest together after learning that the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant was a sponsor at the event.
She said after telling her friends about the sponsorship, interest in the T-shirt blew up —drawing interest from families not even participating in the race.
“Some of the parents who had signed up their kids for the triathlon were shocked as they did not know about the sponsorship,” she wrote in a statement. “One mom right away said, ‘Then my kids will wear NO LNG shirts,’ and the idea was born.”
According to Palethorpe, it was the kids themselves who wanted to let it be known they are against the proposed facility.
“It’s impressive and gratifying to hear how many parents are speaking with their children about their future and moving away from fossil fuel dependency,” she said. “Kids are smart and want to know how to make the world a better place. My daughter and her friends were quite into this.”
But the group’s donations to the Squamish Youth Triathlon (SYT) are not the first time Woodfibre LNG has donated money to local sports groups. SORCA has received money in the past for both trail maintenance and the new mountain bike skills park. So has the Squamish Minor Hockey Association and local soccer and rugby groups.
SYT race director Mike Hedberg said the funding ensured the survival of the event and helped keep the costs down for families.
“All the donations we receive allow the SYT to keep entry fees affordable, allowing many local youth to participate in an event that promotes healthy living,” he told The Chief. “The SYT is not a formal society and has no guiding policies or bylaws. We are not a political group, nor do we participate in any sort of lobbying or advocacy activities. We do not question the business practices of any of our sponsors in order that they may qualify as sponsor.”
He said representatives from Woodfibre LNG made no special requests or demands of what to do with the money they donated.
“Woodfibre LNG has made donations to youth sport in Squamish with no strings attached,” he said, pointing out the other groups that have also received money. “They are not asking for recognition, nor for public support of their project. All they request is for Squamish to know that youth sport in our community is of significant importance to their organization.”
Hedberg said he never got phone calls from any parent about the sponsorship but did receive emails expressing concern about the sponsorship. He said he's disappointed that the vocal minority have taken away from his final run as race director of the SYT.
“It is disappointing that a few people’s political concerns have become the focus and not our young athletes competing in a grassroots community event,” he said.
Tracey Saxby of the My Sea To Sky group said she would like Woodfibre LNG to stay out of supporting Squamish projects for the time being.
“We’d like to strongly suggest that Woodfibre LNG should not negotiate with or promise funding to any community groups, sports teams, or community projects as they are not officially part of this community and the federal and provincial environmental assessment process is just beginning,” she wrote in a statement.
“This community needs to ask serious questions about this project, and weigh the potential benefits and the potential impacts. We need to do this impartially, and this is not possible if allegiances are already being bought.”
Marian Ngo, manager of communications and stakeholder relations for Woodfibre LNG, said her company simply wants to help out wherever it can.
“We’re in the community and getting to know everybody and we want to support local organizations,” she said. “It’s a commitment to the community. In no way is it sufficient for us to push a project through because we gave money. If our project doesn’t go through, these kids still get our support.”
Ngo said the focus of the SYT should be on the athletes and not on her group’s project.
“Giving money doesn’t impact our environmental assessment or permit whatsoever,” she said. “They’re not connected at all. The focus should be on the volunteers and kids of this great event.”
She said the protest will not deter Woodfibre LNG from helping out other groups in the future.
“This isn’t about our project, it’s about getting to know these groups that need funding and supporting them the best we can,” she said. “We’re not making money right now and there’s no guarantee this project will go through, but that doesn’t mean we will not commit to getting to know the community.”
