Green Party stands by NWT candidate after logging protest ruling

The Green Party of Canada says it stands behind its deputy leader following a court ruling sentencing her to 51 days in jail.

Rainbow Eyes, also known as Angela Davidson, is one of four candidates running to be the next Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia granted her appeal of a 60-day jail sentence for seven counts of criminal contempt related to her involvement in the Fairy Creek protests against old-growth logging on southern Vancouver Island.

However, the appeal court rejected Rainbow Eyes’ request that she be given a conditional sentence involving house arrest and instead reduced her custodial sentence to 51 days. She will also still be required to complete 75 hours of community service.

Rainbow Eyes has since filed an appeal of that reduced sentence with the Supreme Court of Canada.

‘Courageous Indigenous land defender’

In a press release on Thursday, the federal Green Party said it “is honoured to have a courageous Indigenous land defender” as deputy leader. The party said it hopes Rainbow Eyes, who is a member of the Da’naxda’xw First Nation, will be allowed to campaign in the NWT.

“We stand in solidarity with Rainbow Eyes in her defence of the old growth forest and Ferry Creek [sic] and Indigenous rights in defence of Mother Earth,” stated Elizabeth May, one of two co-leaders of the party.

“All too often the law protects the powerful at the expense of the most vulnerable – nature and those who fight for the sanctity of our planet,” co-leader Jonathan Pedneault stated.

“Rainbow Eyes fights for nature, for people, for the planet. Her only crime was to disrespect a court order that upheld laws putting private interest above the public good. Greens fight for the rule of law, and we want to change those laws to ensure they recognize our common responsibility to protect our territory, nature and resources from those who exploit them without regard for Indigenous knowledge and custodianship, sustainability and biodiversity.”

According to the appeal court’s decision, Rainbow Eyes was convicted for repeatedly violating a civil injunction meant to protect Teal Cedar Products’ logging operations at Fairy Creek from “unlawful interference” by protesters.

Those violations included chaining herself to a gate and obstructing a public roadway, interfering with machinery, and playing a drum, distributing food and spending time with other protesters while in an area covered by the injunction.

Vote ‘with your heart,’ candidate says

Rainbow Eyes has said she considers such protest her duty as an Indigenous woman and she was chosen by Elders and community members to protect the land, water and trees.

The Green Party said it hoped Rainbow Eyes would be released on bail Thursday and that the Supreme Court of Canada would grant leave to appeal her sentence.

Following publication of this article, Rainbow Eyes’ lawyer, Benjamin Isitt, told Cabin Radio that she was granted bail around 12pm MT on Thursday.

After she was released from the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women in Maple Ridge, BC, Rainbow Eyes told Cabin Radio that she had been jailed “for protecting ancient old growth at Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience on the unceded territory of the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations.” She said Canada’s prisons are overcrowded and Indigenous women are overrepresented in the correctional system.

“The Canadian government must put the wellbeing of the people before the economy, meaning funding for social services as well as a reconnection to the land,” she said, encouraging people to vote “with your heart.”

On Wednesday, Elections Canada told Cabin Radio by email that “a candidate who is imprisoned at any time during their candidacy is not eligible” to run in a federal election.

Cabin Radio has requested clarity from the Green Party and Elections Canada on how the recent court ruling could affect Rainbow Eyes’ ability to run for office in the NWT.

Ollie Williams contributed reporting.