It Stops Here

More about the book

This personal account details one man's confrontation with colonization, shedding light on the philosophy and values of a First Nation facing threats from the Trans Mountain pipeline. It narrates the spiritual, cultural, and political resurgence of a nation striving to reclaim their lands, waters, laws, and food systems. The intergenerational struggle of the Tsleil-Waututh is highlighted as they resist the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, a project that would significantly increase the capacity of tar sands bitumen transported through their unceded territory and escalate oil tanker traffic in their waters. The story is told by Rueben George, a prominent leader in the opposition to the pipeline, who has dedicated over a decade to this fight. He shares his family's deep ancestral ties to the waters that have sustained the Tsleil-Waututh for generations. Despite ongoing cultural genocide attempts by the colonial state, Rueben emphasizes the teachings of key community leaders, including his grandfather, Chief Dan George, who instilled pride and a sense of connection to their inlet in younger generations. Part memoir and part call to action, the narrative urges policymakers to prioritize sacred territory over oil profits and advocates for a shift in colonial Canada’s perspective toward respecting the land and its inhabitants.