Many people are already aware of the Unist’ot’en blockade on Wet’suwet’en territory. (Unist’ot’en is a clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation.) The blockade, located on a forest service road 120 km outside Smithers, B.C., has been set up to defend the land against the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline — planned to run through the nation’s territory. The hereditary chiefs of the clans of Wet’suwet’en have denied approval of the building of this pipeline.
Things escalated last winter when armed RCMP raided the blockade and arrested 14 land defenders, and the RCMP have become violent again this winter. Rather than the overt violence of a raid and arrests, RCMP have blocked access to the territory, stopping supply trucks and allegedly preventing media from coming in, putting residents of the land at serious risk in the cold winter weather of interior B.C.
The land defenders are concerned about the risks that the pipeline poses to their traditional territory, stating that it’s “a highly sensitive ecosystem that contains important fisheries of central importance to the Wet’suwet’en. This proposed project not only threatens the way of life and culture of the Wet’suwet’en, oil sands activities are currently creating health problems for First Nations in northern Alberta.” They wish to preserve the land for future generations.
My question to you, UFV, is this: why don’t we see Indigenous issues as all of our issues? Everyone wants to encourage veganism, reducing plastic, recycling, and divesting from oil, but the activist fervour around environmentalism seems to be overlooking the importance of supporting the Indigenous movement.
Am I the only one who is tired of hearing empty promises, and watching Trudeau flash a smile as he blatantly lies to Canadians and the entire world about working toward climate change action and Indigneous sovereignty? Don’t bother talking about indigenization and reconciliation if you’re not willing to step up and admit that this pipeline project is a direct violation of Indigneous rights and sovereignty, and counteracts any of our attempts to ban plastic straws and donate to wildfire recovery.
Our premier, John Horgan, cannot continue to make promises of climate action, especially with the NDP’s Clean B.C. plan (featuring, by the way, a promise to “reduce methane emissions from upstream oil and gas operations by 45%”), and implementing Indigenous rights while at the same time refusing to meet in person with and listen to Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs. Instead, Horgan suggested sending a liaison in his place.
The battle at the Unist’ot’en blockade is being continually swept under the rug and hushed. Why? This is exactly where leaders have the opportunity to step up and fulfill all of the shiny promises that they love to shout about during election campaigns and at international summits.
With the recent passing of Bill 41, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the province has agreed to implement and enforce the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). This includes giving sovereignty over traditional land to Indigenous nations. When the province committed to implementing this, Horgan was quoted as saying, “I know it will be more than symbolic.” What mind-boggling hypocrisy is this? They’re taking us all for a ride and we’re letting them. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of Canada deserve better.
In his article for The Tyee, “UNDRIP Act Gives Horgan an Option in Wet’suwet’en Standoff. He Should Use It,” author and professor emeritus John Price argues: “Under Bill 41, the government has the legal authority to authorize a member of cabinet to ‘negotiate and enter into an agreement with an Indigenous governing body’ relating to either joint decision-making or to gaining ‘the consent of the Indigenous governing body before the exercise of a statutory power of decision.’ It can and should immediately appoint a cabinet member immediately [sic] to negotiate with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs.”
Politicians (and citizens) need to stop citing the fact that elected chiefs have consented to the pipeline. It is obscuring the truth. Elected leaders were developed from the Indian Act, a settler-imposed document, forcing Western-style government on First Nations territories, and part of the centuries-old divide-and-conquer colonial tactic. Its intention is to divide and pit members of colonized nations against each other — and it’s doing exactly the evil it is intended to do. Elected leaders have no say over traditional land. Period.
My final word is to you, John Horgan, so-called leader of our province: not meeting with the Wet’suwet’en Nation, and flat-out ignoring their literal cries for the land is immature — a blatant attempt to wear blinders. You can’t just shove cotton in your ears, tell everyone that B.C. is “moving on,” and hope this goes away, because 10 years down the road, or less, we’ll be paying for the consequences: paying (literally) for the destroyed land, destroyed livelihoods, and destroyed morale of a country. Canada, and B.C. in particular, is one of the lucky ones of the world. We’re watching entire countries burn, and we still won’t wake up to what’s going on in our own backyard. We’ve experienced minimal climate change-related catastrophes, but this won’t last. We are not immune. It’s time to take that reality to heart, look around at the beautiful land we are blessed with, and take care of it.
If you want to do more to support the Wet’suwet’en, there is a call to action for all supporters to join Wet’suwet’en on Gidimt’en territory. You can find more information on the Unist’ot’en or Gidimt’en Yintah Access webpages, and on the Facebook page, We Support the Unist’ot’en and the Wet’suwet’en Grassroots Movement. Call your cabinet minister, and call the RCMP; if you’re not comfortable calling, then email. Don’t hesitate to share widely the updates that the Unist’ot’en camp posts. Their battle is our battle, and we must start seeing it that way.
Image: Wetsuwet’en Access Point on Gidimt’en Territory Facebook Page
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after. She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.
