ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the storyline constructed by opponents of liquefied natural gas development in British Columbia. The storyline is characterized not only by public warnings of shale gas as a significant environmental threat, but also by in-depth critiques of the precarious economic basis of British Columbia’s gas exports to Asia, the damage fossil fuel lobbying does to democratic governance, and Canada’s relentless infringement of Indigenous rights. The chapter notes how the storyline has enhanced the credibility and relevance of the opponents among the public, as the notion of local communities threatened by the intrusive actions of government and industry elites fell on receptive ears that were typically hesitant about civil disobedience.
