Timmy Masso was surrounded by supporters as he set up a blockade to prevent tourists from accessing the Kennedy Lake backroads on Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 so honoured to see the amount of people that are here supporting me and I hope that this is the first step in change and change thatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen in the right way,B次元官网网址� the 18 year-old Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member told the Westerly B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淲e all have to come together as the people that live on this West Coast and we have to find a proper solution.B次元官网网址�
Masso spoke from the West Main Forest Service Road near the Tofino/Ucluelet area as his protest came into effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday, die to increasing frustratration with illegal campfires, discarded waste and disrespect to the environment.
B次元官网网址淭hey use this place as a place to party and come have a small vacation and not really care about the consequences on the land. That is what I want to stop,B次元官网网址� he said.
The event was held peacefully and remained respectful throughout the evening with Ucluelet RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Kevin Smith confirming to the Westerly B次元官网网址 on Wednesday morning that there were no reports of violence or confrontation.
Smith said police attended the blockade strictly to B次元官网网址渒eep the peace.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e are not taking sides either way, weB次元官网网址檙e just there to keep the peace and make sure that things donB次元官网网址檛 escalate to assaults or threats or anything like that,B次元官网网址� he said, adding RCMP had spoken with Masso prior to the event. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 there to educate people and hopefully stop people from going there and littering and destroying the environment.B次元官网网址�
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David Helmer and Hannah Hinz had travelled from Denman Island hoping to paddle in the area, but canceled those plans when they arrived at the blockade.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e obviously not going to continue because we respect whatB次元官网网址檚 happening here,B次元官网网址� Helm told the Westerly.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not our land, so you really just have to listen to people whose land it is,B次元官网网址� Hinz added. B次元官网网址淚t totally makes sense that if people arenB次元官网网址檛 going to treat it with respect, somebodyB次元官网网址檚 going to say, B次元官网网址楴o.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Helmer and Hinz both rebuked the suggestion that a few disrespectful tourists were to blame.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a few people, itB次元官网网址檚 the majority of people,B次元官网网址� Helmer said. B次元官网网址淎s far as I can tell, the majority of people are the ones that leave garbage on roadsides and trailsides. ItB次元官网网址檚 the minority of people that actually clean up after themselves.B次元官网网址�
Gisele Martin is a Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park Guardian who attended the blockade in support of Masso.
B次元官网网址淭here have been increasing amounts of people coming to squat in these places without knowing where they are over the last few years, decades actually, and the pressure is really increasing. Especially right now with the threat of fire and the amount of garbage and disrespect thatB次元官网网址檚 happening, itB次元官网网址檚 become an emergency.B次元官网网址�
Another group using the area are West Coast residents unable to find accomodation in town whose only housing option is to camp in the backroads.
MassoB次元官网网址檚 brother Hjalmer Wenstob attended the blockade in support, suggesting the West CoastB次元官网网址檚 backroads have become B次元官网网址渄ecimatedB次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 up to all the communities in the region to work together to prevent further destruction.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really thankful that Timmy is standing up to defend his territory,B次元官网网址� Wenstob said. B次元官网网址淪ometimes you need a bit of a shock to restart it all and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what Timmy wants to do today, to get that conversation no longer just murmurs in the background, but loud and heard.B次元官网网址�
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Chief Councillor Moses Martin issued a statement calling for a meeting of regional leaders, Tourism Tofino and provincial and federal government officials B次元官网网址渢o find solutions to this critical issue.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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