People looking out into Burrard Inlet this afternoon will see canoes paddled by members of two local First Nations.

The Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish first nations are set to paddle through what they call the Salish Sea to protest a plan that would bring in more oil tankers.

Then they will sign a declaration to affirm they will work together against the pipeline-expansion proposal, brought by Kinder Morgan. 

Leah George-Wilson, former chief with the Tsleil-Waututh, says the inlet is important to everyone.
 
"Our old people say 'When the tide went out, the table was set.' It meant we could eat from the beach, and we can't do that any longer and we'd like to draw attention to those issues."

The paddlers will start at West Vancouver's Ambleside Park around 1 p.m., and head to Cates Park in Deep Cove for 3 p.m.