By Cara McKenna

Tsleil-Waututh First Nation has been gifted with solar panels that will help power its new super-green administration building.

The panels were given to the nation by environmental organizations Greenpeace and 350.org to commemorate the nation’s ongoing work to fight fossil fuel development in its territory.

Melina Laboucan-Massimo of the Lubicon Cree First Nation from north-central Alberta presented the gift to leaders from Tsleil-Waututh on May 12. Both nations have been fighting against Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which carries crude oils between Alberta and B.C.

“We wanted to offer this as just a token of our sincere gratitude for your hard work against this pipeline because we know that will affect our homelands in the tar sands,” she said. “The solutions are transitioning our communities back to where we’re not raping and pillaging Mother Earth.”

Laboucan-Massimo said she felt inspired when Tsleil-Waututh built the large solar panel next to its daycare building several years ago.

“I was in the process of actually doing the same thing back home and last summer we solarized our healthcare centre in the heart of the tar sands,” she said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever cried tears of joy and I felt like, this is the future, this is what I want to see. Solar panels are amazing and they’re much better for the environment than fossil fuels. I’m so passionate about solar power and I’ve been doing lots of research into solar monitoring systems recently too. They seem like a great idea for this new panel as it means we can track data and monitor how much energy they’re producing.”

Tsleil-Waututh Chief Maureen Thomas said the nation has put out extra money to ensure their administration building is ultra- green and she is grateful for the gift of solar panels. The new building is expected to be complete by early 2017.

She said the existing solar panel, which is very visible on the reserve, is like a “beauty mark” that she hopes will inspire children attending the daycare. “To me it’s very powerful for our young ones to grow up knowing that’s a part of them and that’s where the future is going to be.”

Former chief Leonard George, councillor Carleen Thomas and Reuben George of the Sacred Trust were also in attendance to accept the new solar panels.