Please read this slowly, before you begin assaulting your keyboard: Calm. The. Heck. Down.

Yes. People are protesting about things. Yes, they may be wrong. Maybe, theyB次元官网网址檙e even very wrong. Maybe their tactics are wrong too. Sure.

You, Adult Human Being, do not need to go onto Facebook and tell someone you donB次元官网网址檛 know and have never met to go FB次元官网网址�- themselves. You definitely donB次元官网网址檛 need to suggest people start throwing bombs, as I saw one keyboard fanatic do. You donB次元官网网址檛 need to say you would run a person over if they are in front of your car. You donB次元官网网址檛 even B次元官网网址� and this may be tough to hear B次元官网网址� have to suggest that those demonstrating are idiots or paid protesters or hypocrites.

It shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be all that surprising that, in cities with tens and hundreds of thousands of people, some have come to a different conclusion about a very complex situation. And yet here we are, with folks on social media boldly proclaiming their willingness to engage in all sorts of violent crime and otherwise hurling unkind abuse left and right.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not just those folks upset about people waving signs or blocking roads. Certain demonstrators B次元官网网址� and this seems stupid to type but, I guess we have to do it now B次元官网网址� shouldnB次元官网网址檛 start trying to stage B次元官网网址渃itizen arrestsB次元官网网址� of politicians at their own homes.

If this all seems a lot to ask, maybe we should first consider how much we actually know about First Nations governance structures before hitting the olB次元官网网址� comment section.

Because hereB次元官网网址檚 the thing thatB次元官网网址檚 pretty clear at this point: the people who know this issue most intimately B次元官网网址� the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n B次元官网网址� are divided about who speaks for their community as a whole, and how they exercise that authority. The whole thing is almost impossible to sort out not because of anything they have done, but because Canadian governments put in place governance structures that donB次元官网网址檛 actually match the communities.

Some people are clearly in favour of the project. Others are clearly against. None of us outsiders B次元官网网址� and many in the community, it appears B次元官网网址� can actually say for sure just how much B次元官网网址渟ocial licenceB次元官网网址� the pipeline project really has in the community. Hell, one Indigenous writer, Robert Jago, that we donB次元官网网址檛 even really know just how many hereditary WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n chiefs there are.

For the average person, myself included, that should be a tip-off that sincere thought and learning is necessary. Few of us have a sufficient grasp on the jurisdiction of different branches and forms of First Nations government. That inevitably goes for a chunk of those demonstrating. It also goes for almost everybody yelling about this online.

You maybe have been inconvenienced by a blockade or demonstration. You may have read a couple articles. Your knowledge is limited and, especially if you live in southern British Columbia, your pain is pretty darn minor. So settle down.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 not to say you canB次元官网网址檛 have an opinion. You have every right to proclaim it, or to wave a sign. You can certainly suggest governments could be handling this better. But maybe you shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be quite so confident in yourself and your opinion as to yell insults at someone else who is also expressing their opinion.

Certainly, if you donB次元官网网址檛 know which level of government plows Highway 1 or is responsible for health care in B.C., you might also not have the knowledge to determine who has popular legitimacy in a place you probably still canB次元官网网址檛 find on a map.

Only one thing, really is clear: itB次元官网网址檚 time for this nationB次元官网网址檚 leaders to sort out a mechanism to ensure that Indigenous people have adequate and clear representation that reflects their contributions to this country so we donB次元官网网址檛 have to relive painful and unclear battles about B次元官网网址渃onsultationB次元官网网址� over and over again. I donB次元官网网址檛 know how you do so. But you have to talk about it and you have to be willing to sacrifice.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 governments B次元官网网址� including the current one B次元官网网址� have consistently put off real change because it didnB次元官网网址檛 seem like a priority at the time. Maybe the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n situation is the push they finally need.

Meanwhile, if youB次元官网网址檙e still really, really, really mad about all these demonstrations, hereB次元官网网址檚 a 10-hour-long video of the ocean. Watch it for a while.

Tyler Olsen is a reporter at the Abbotsford B次元官网网址

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:
tolsen@abbynews.com

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