Green Party leader Elizabeth May arrested March 23 for breaking a court-imposed protest-free zone in Burnaby. May pleaded guilty Monday morning to a criminal contempt of court charge. File photo/CBC.
Green Party leader Elizabeth May has pleaded guilty to a criminal contempt of court charge for violating a court-imposed protest-free zone at a Kinder Morgan work sit in Burnaby in March.
May, along with New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart, was arrested March 23 at a Kinder Morgan terminal on Burnaby Mountain protesting the company’s plan to twin the Trans Mountain pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby.
May and Stewart, along with many others opposed to the pipeline expansion were arrested for not respecting a court order to stay at least five metres from two work sites in Burnaby.
May said Indigenous rights were not being respected in regards to the permits issued to twin the existing pipeline.
Stewart pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier this month.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge recommended criminal charges, rather than moving forward as a civil case, against protesters that were arrested for being within the protest-free zone.
After an independent review of May’s case, Special Prosecutor Greg DelBigio of Vancouver approved criminal charges against May two weeks ago.
Andy Neal
