The same but different

Between watching the film and playing outside of the longhouse Lotta Koenig (left, arms crossed) and Sita Sly-Hooton (r) ask Caleb Behn about why the film was made. They listened attentively and then immediately ran out to play.

Rhonda Lee McIsaac —

Caleb Behn introduced Fractured Land to audiences in HlGaagilda and Gaaw and then excused himself while the audience watched the 90-minute feature film. Behn exited citing his discomfort with the final edit and the way he is portrayed in the film; despite being wrapped up in it for the past 5 years.

The screening culminated in a lengthy question and answer period. “You’ve honoured me with your patience and given me time and it’s the least I can do,” he said, smiling to the crowd as hands rose. Most questions were about fracking and Behn’s personal journey in formal education and experiential learning. It was noted by an audience member that the Q&A session was more interesting than the film!

Sita Sly-Hooton; a youth from Gaaw, asked Behn why he had made the film.

“Because I’m a lawyer,” Behn replied with a grin. Bending down to address her he then credited filmmakers Damien Gillis and Fiona Rayher for their work in which he appeared. Behn has given up his legal credentials, he said, and is now “just a guy with a law degree”. He also challenged the audience to not surrender their critical thinking skills when dealing with leadership at any level. “Don’t trust anyone, not even me. Especially not me,” he said, citing his knowledge only came from his education and experience dealing with oil and gas companies. Without those critical skills we become “sheeple”!

Behn says fracking for gas is a possibility here on Haida Gwaii, but it would be different from northeastern British Columbia where 85% of natural gas wells use hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas from shale. 20.5 million kilometers of land in Northeastern British Columbia are covered with thousands of wells. Some wells are only 200 metres apart!

Even so, Behn says he is looking forward to hunting and fishing, and enjoying his family time in between film appearances and lectures.