More than 20 Indigenous youth are blocking the entrance to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on Blanshard Street to deliver a message to the Minister Michelle Mungall and Premier John Horgan.
Protesters have been on site since around noon and according to Nigel Robinson, theyB次元官网网址檙e planning on occupying the building until B次元官网网址渁ll [their] demands are met.B次元官网网址�
Earlier on Tuesday, the protesters delivered a letter to Mungall that stated Indigenous youth were not only inheriting a climate crisis B次元官网网址渄riven by fossil fuel projects like [Coastal GasLink] CGL, but CanadaB次元官网网址檚 legacy of colonization, genocide and gendered violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.B次元官网网址� In other words, they are supporting WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n sovereignty and opposing RCMP actions.
B次元官网网址淐anadaB次元官网网址檚 siege and invasion of those territories that have not given consent for Coastal GasLinks operation. ItB次元官网网址檚 unconstitutional, it is illegal, it is immoral and it is shameful. Canada can not continue to uphold the status quo of indigenous genocide when moving forward with natural resource projects that impact Indigenous youth first and foremost,B次元官网网址� said TaB次元官网网址橩iya Blaney, while seated in the middle of the group.
Robinson told Black Press Media that protesters were being denied food by police who they claimed would not allow home-made burritos to be brought inside.
In response to those claims, VicPD spokesperson Bowen Osoko said officers had in fact facilitated access to food and water and continued to work with those onsite B次元官网网址渂oth from protest groups as well as onsite staff to support a peaceful resolution.B次元官网网址�
| TaB次元官网网址橩iya Blaney was one of the protesters at the demonstration on Tuesday, she wants to see the demands of the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n Hereditary Chiefs upheld, observed and respected. (Kendra Crighton/B次元官网网址 Staff) |
Coastal GasLink is building the 670-kilometre pipeline from British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 northeast to Kitimat on the coast. The company has signed agreements with all 20 elected First Nation councils along its path, but the hereditary clan chiefs who are leaders under the traditional form of governance say the project has no authority without their consent.
Last year, the conflict inspired rallies across the country when RCMP enforced an injunction and arrested 14 supporters of the hereditary chiefs who blocked access to a logging road leading to the work site on WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n traditional territory.
The B.C. Supreme Court expanded the injunction Dec. 31 and the hereditary clan chiefs responded with an eviction notice to Coastal GasLink, leading to a new standoff.
| A group of about 20 protesters blocked the entrance to the Minsitry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources building in Victoria on Tuesday in a show of solidarity for the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n First Nation. (Kendra Crighton/B次元官网网址 Staff) |
B次元官网网址淭he RCMP and CGL] are violating WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n law, theyB次元官网网址檙e not speaking B次元官网网址� with the hereditary chiefs, when that is the conversation that needed to happen years ago,B次元官网网址� said Kolin Sutherland-Wilson. B次元官网网址淎nd yet, they think they can bulldoze through the territory, through the rights of the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n people in order to enforce a project that they do not consent to.B次元官网网址�
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The letter includes two demands made by protesters. The first is that the demands of the Hereditary Chiefs of the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n Nation be upheld, observed and respected by the federal and provincial governments. Secondly, they ask an appointment be made by Premier Horgan to meet with the hereditary chiefs.
B次元官网网址淏.C. conducted extensive consultations with Indigenous Nations and has also signed agreements with the vast majority of Indigenous communities along the route,B次元官网网址� reads a statement provided by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
In addition, the statement highlights the fact that Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, will be traveling to Smithers on Wednesday to meet with the Hereditary Chiefs, as proposed by the Premier.
B次元官网网址淪eparately, the government has been engaged in the current discussions with WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n hereditary chiefs on reconciliation since early 2019. ItB次元官网网址檚 important to note that these talks are not related to any specific project but are focused on building our relationship and meaningfully advancing reconciliation,B次元官网网址� the statement continues.
HAPPENING NOW: Indigenous protesters are blocking the entrance to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources to show their solidarity to the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n Nation.
B次元官网网址� kendra crighton (@kendracrighton)
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Just over 20 days into the new year and more than 45 international actions have taken place in support of the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n Nation. On Monday protesters blocked the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal in a show of solidarity, with a small portion of them in attendance at TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 demonstration.
According to Blaney, the demonstrations are independent with no direct or indirect contact with the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n Nation.
B次元官网网址淭his is solidarity, we act as our own people,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址� With files from The Canadian Press
kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca
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