My name is Magdalena Angel, and currently I am a student at Quest University Canada, located in Squamish BC. In 2009, I went to the Great Bear Rainforest for the first time with the Ecology class from Quest University. During this experience, our group stayed in Hartley Bay with the Gitga’at First Nations, where the community shared with us their culture and traditions. The leaders of the community also taught us about the issues that the community has faced, such as the sinking of the ferry Queen of the North in March of 2006, and its effects on the surrounding water. We also learned about the biggest threat to the Gitga’at’s way of life, Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Project.

During my time in Hartley Bay, I learned about the Gitga'at's culture and traditions. I also, saw the incredible beauty and wildlife of the surrounding natural environment. This was a very powerful experience for me. As a result, in 2010 I took the opportunity to volunteer at Cetacealab, located on Gil Island in Gitga’at territory. I worked with Hermann Meuter and Janey Wray, two whale researchers, who established themselves here nine years ago. I helped collect data for their ongoing research of whale populations. Working here exposed me to the pressing issue and risks of having oil tankers traveling through the Great Bear Rainforest. By spending more time up here I had the chance, again, to reconnect with the unique and amazing environment as well as the great people who live and work there.

During the past year, Norm Hann’s StandUp4GreatBear paddle and Frank Wolf and Todd McGowan’s On the Line project have inspired me to take action and find a way to help keep this Northern Gateway Project from happening.

The Project

From these experiences, I have grown fond of the Hartley Bay community and I am concerned for the future of what lies ahead and along this coastline. I want to support the First Nations communities, the environmental groups and people of the coast who are working hard to preserve the culture and the integrity of this beautiful area. For this reason, I am organizing the Great Bear Rainforest Youth Paddle (GBR Youth Paddle). This four day canoe journey will take place in the Gitga’at territory and will involve youth from this community and from the Quest community. These two groups will set off from the community of Hartley Bay and end at Kiel, the community’s Spring Camp, a culturally and historically significant site.

This paddle will raise awareness and encourage youth in both the Gitga’at and the Quest communities to work together and take action. The paddle will give youth the opportunity to visit culturally significant areas and spend time with elders in their community who can share the importance of such places, and why it is crucial to protect them. The paddle will also focus on giving youth a voice in this battle to protect their lands and water and would promote the stewardship in individuals. Quest students have built a relationship with Hartley Bay over the past two years and many are interested and exited to work to preserve the Great Bear Rainforest and to supporting the First Nations groups.

I am passionate and excited to organize this journey and contribute to the growing campaign against the Enbridge project. I am asking for your support of this project to help make this canoe journey successful in June 2012.

learn more at www.gbryouthpaddle.org