Cycle to Protect Our Coast will spend four days spinning from Campbell River to Victoria over the May long weekend and end on the legislature lawn.
“We love to cycle, but we also want to build some information about the whole pipeline and tanker issue,” said organizer Sheri Farinha.
They’ll stop in Central Saanich Monday, May 21.
Along the way CPOC members will chat with interested residents about the economic and ecological dangers of the oil tankers associated with both the Northern Gateway pipeline and Kinder Morgan expansion proposals.
“When you love something, you stand up for it,” said Farinha. “We care about our area and we want to prevent super-sized tanker spills of bitumen and condensate … from washing up on Canada’s most productive coastline.”
Along the way they’ll have a petition to sign, written information and offer “five salient points” for those seeking more information.
Farinha is also wracking her brain to come up with a demonstration to show how long a tanker is.
“I want folks to understand how far 350 metres is because that’s how big tankers are. It is a huge distance, these are ships that have no chance of stopping in a mile or turning.
“It’s inevitable, we’re going to have an oil spill here,” she said.
CPOC will roll into Centennial Park just before noon Monday, when Elizabeth May, MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands is set to speak.
“British Columbian voices need to be heard. The federal government can’t just assume that this is in the national interest or in British Columbia’s interest,” May said of the pipeline issue.
“Cyclists are welcome to join us in riding the 22 kilometres to the Victoria legislature, where we will have a community discussion about protecting our coasts and hand over the petitions gathered along the tour,” Farinha said.
Find route maps at www.facebook.com/CycleToProtectOurCoast.