It’s been over a year since the Nathan E Stewart ran aground near Gale Creek in the Heiltsuk territory and spilled thousands of litres of diesel. The Heiltsuk Tribal Council and their communities endured the tragedy and proposed an Indigenous marine response corporation to meet the needs of the under protected Central Coast.

With the recent Jake Shearer incident (articulated tug that separated from its fuel barge in late 2017) fresh in their minds, the need for a Heiltsuk operated marine disaster response corporation remains. Join me in calling on the federal government to support the Heiltsuk and to support an Indigenous marine response corporation for the Central Coast.