B.C.

First Nations and residents of a community on British Columbia's North Coast are protesting a proposed pipeline which would carry crude oil from Alberta to the west coast for tanker shipment to places like China.

The "No Oil Tankers" rally kicked off Saturday morning in a Prince Rupert, B.C. park and wound its way to a civic centre where First Nations leaders were scheduled to speak and musicians like Bif Naked were expected to perform.

Marven Robinson, who is a member of the Gitga'at Nation, says his band organized the event, and participants are protesting the $5.5 billion Northern Gateway pipeline project proposed by Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB).

Robinson says oil-tankers servicing the proposed pipeline will provide no benefits and only risks to his community of Hartley Bay, B.C.

Residents of Hartley Bay came to the rescue of the B.C. ferry Queen of the North, which sank during an accident in March 2006.

Robinson says the community is still feeling the effects of the ferry's sinking and that diesel is still leaking from the vessel.