Wet'suwet'en pipeline protests

Wet'suwet'en pipeline protests are a series of demonstrations and blockades led by the Wet'suwet'en people, particularly the Unist'ot'en clan, against the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which is a project of TransCanada Corporation and backed by Royal Dutch Shell, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Korea Gas Corporation. The protests have drawn support from various Indigenous peoples in Canada, including the Haida Nation, Gitxsan, and Secwepemc, as well as from environmental organizations like Greenpeace Canada and Sierra Club Canada. The movement has also been endorsed by prominent figures such as Naomi Klein, David Suzuki, and Greta Thunberg, who have spoken out against the project's potential environmental impacts, including those on the Salmon River and Fraser River.

Background

The Wet'suwet'en people have traditionally inhabited the Nadleh Whut'en and Babine Lake areas, and their territory is home to numerous First Nations communities, including the Lheidli T'enneh and Saik'uz. The proposed Coastal GasLink pipeline would transport Liquefied natural gas from the Dawson Creek area to the Kitimat terminal, passing through the Bulkley Valley and Telkwa regions. The project has been opposed by the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, who claim that the pipeline would threaten their traditional territory and cultural heritage, including the Morice River and Bulkley River watersheds. The Canadian Union of Public Employees and the British Columbia Federation of Labour have also expressed concerns about the project's potential impacts on the environment and local communities, including the City of Prince George and District of Kitimat.

Protests and blockades

The protests against the Coastal GasLink pipeline began in 2018, with the establishment of the Unist'ot'en Camp, a checkpoint and cultural center on the Morice River Forest Service Road. The camp was set up by the Unist'ot'en clan to assert their Indigenous rights and to block access to the pipeline construction site, which is located near the Parsnip River and Finlay River. The protests have been supported by various Indigenous peoples in Canada, including the Tsilhqot'in Nation, St'at'imc Nation, and Secwepemc Nation, as well as by environmental organizations like the Wilderness Committee and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. The movement has also been endorsed by prominent figures such as Elizabeth May, Jagmeet Singh, and Andrea Horwath, who have spoken out against the project's potential environmental impacts, including those on the Great Bear Rainforest and Skeena River.

Indigenous rights and title

The Wet'suwet'en people have a long history of asserting their Indigenous rights and title to their traditional territory, which includes the areas through which the Coastal GasLink pipeline would pass. The Delgamuukw v British Columbia court case, which was decided by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1997, recognized the Wet'suwet'en people's Aboriginal title to their traditional territory, including the Bulkley Valley and Telkwa regions. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, also recognizes the rights of Indigenous peoples to their traditional territories and resources, including the Salmon River and Fraser River watersheds. The Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs have argued that the Coastal GasLink pipeline project violates their Indigenous rights and title, and that they have not provided their free, prior, and informed consent for the project, as required by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Government response and negotiations

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia have responded to the protests by attempting to negotiate with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs and by seeking to enforce the court injunctions that have been issued against the protesters, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the British Columbia Supreme Court. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has stated that the government is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to recognizing their rights and title, but has also emphasized the importance of completing the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, which is supported by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council of British Columbia. The British Columbia Premier, John Horgan, has also stated that the government is committed to completing the project, but has acknowledged the need for further consultation and negotiation with the Wet'suwet'en people, including the Wet'suwet'en Nation and the Unist'ot'en Camp.

Environmental concerns and impact

The Coastal GasLink pipeline project has raised significant environmental concerns, including the potential impacts on the Salmon River and Fraser River watersheds, as well as the Great Bear Rainforest and Skeena River ecosystems. The project would also contribute to climate change by facilitating the extraction and transportation of fossil fuels, including Liquefied natural gas and oil sands. The Sierra Club Canada and the Wilderness Committee have argued that the project is not consistent with Canada's climate change commitments under the Paris Agreement, and that it would undermine the country's efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, including those from the oil and gas industry. The David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute have also expressed concerns about the project's potential environmental impacts, including those on the biodiversity and ecosystems of the Bulkley Valley and Telkwa regions. Category:Environmental protests in Canada