UPDATE: 1:00 p.m.
The 2nd Annual Resource Roll-In happened today (Wednesday) in Prince George.
Members of the general public came out to support both Resource Workers United and The North Matters as they rolled towards the site of the Natural Resources Forum.
Flags, t-shirts, and protest signs adorned vehicles and participants alike as the group worked to bring attention to resource-based issues in the north.
Original story below.
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Resource Workers United and The North Matters are joining forces to host the 2nd Annual Resource Roll-In, a truck and speaking rally scheduled for today (Wednesday).
The truck rally will start on Boundary Road facing the Fraser River at 9 am today and the speaking rally will follow at the Civic Centre courtyard at 11:30.
The rally, a show of support for struggling BC resource communities, will take place as Prince George hosts day two of Western Canada’s largest natural resource conference.
“Our purpose is to bring people together and promote unity and try to stand up as people who have always been stakeholders. We want the best for our communities as far as opportunities, environment, all the things that are important to us,” explained David Johnston, founder of The North Matters.
Johnston believes resource communities need to band together.
“It’s time for us to start speaking up for our communities as opposed to having foreign bodies speaking for us,”
“What we want to promote is a non-partisan, unifying voice that represents the people.”
He stressed the importance of keeping resource management local.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s mining, forestry, or oil and gas.”
“When you really start digging in and looking into where it’s all coming from, it’s people that really don’t have a clue where our communities are or what they are all about.”
The organizations are also encouraging resource workers from the surrounding area to make the trip to Prince George to show their support.
Attendees are welcomed to bring their trucks and service vehicles to the convoy.