At least 30 supporters demonstrated outside MP Michael McLeodSA国际影视传媒檚 office in Yellowknife on Tuesday to show solidarity with the UnistSA国际影视传媒檕tSA国际影视传媒檈n Camp after forcibly removed people and raided the Gidimt'en Access Monday, arresting 14 people including one elder.
Two checkpoints are established SA国际影视传媒� one at the Gidimt'en Access Point and another at Unist'ot'en camp to stop pipeline workers from entering WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n territory without their consent.
SA国际影视传媒淲e think weSA国际影视传媒檙e in this time now where people are getting SA国际影视传媒榳oke.SA国际影视传媒� ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 reconciliation. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e having these conversations and people are doing traditional territory acknowledgements, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 still a colonial state. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 still systemic racism.SA国际影视传媒� said Melaw NakehkSA国际影视传媒檕, joined by Maggie Mercredi and Coleen Canney during a day of action in solidarity with the GitimdSA国际影视传媒檈n and UnistSA国际影视传媒檕tSA国际影视传媒檈n Camp after MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 raid to enforce a court injunction against an access blockade.
Snookie Catholique, Maggie Mercredi and Gerri Sharpe at a rally outside MP Michael McLeodSA国际影视传媒檚 office Jan. 8, a day after arrested 14 people, including one elder at the GidimtSA国际影视传媒檈n checkpoint. Hereditary leaders were also blocked from accessing their own territory as militarized created exclusionary zone, limiting public and media access to the area.
Kiera-Dawn Kolson is an organizer from Denendeh who led the day of action in Somba KSA国际影视传媒檈. SA国际影视传媒淭his is who weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing this for,SA国际影视传媒� she said, crouching down beside Nateyaa Dosedel and his mother Rena Squirrel.
SA国际影视传媒淧eople are not standing up because of any other reason than this is wrong and future generations deserve more. I hope and pray that as the warriors are released today and they see the images and hear the solidarity,SA国际影视传媒� said Kiera-Dawn Kolson.
Signs taped outside MP Michael McLeodSA国际影视传媒檚 office demonstrated concern with the arrest of Indigenous people at the GidumtSA国际影视传媒檈n checkpoint on WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n territory.
The constituency office allowed demonstrators to tape signs demanding Article 10 of UNDRIP be respected after enforced a Supreme Court Injunction allowing construction of an LNG pipeline across unceded WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n territory.
WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n hereditary chiefs were also initially blocked from their own unceded territories, states a Jan. 7 news release from UnistSA国际影视传媒檕tSA国际影视传媒檈n Camp.
broke through the GidimtSA国际影视传媒檈n checkpoint established to blockade access to a pipeline right-of-way. Tactical police officers were deployed to enforce a court injunction to allow construction of Coastal GasLinkSA国际影视传媒檚 natural gas pipeline.
SA国际影视传媒淭o use taxpayer dollars to invade unceded traditional lands in corporate interests for the pipeline just boggles my mind," said Kiera-Dawn Kolson, who organized the rally. "I hope and pray that as the warriors are released today, they see the images and hear the solidarity."
The rally was one of nearly 70 planned across the country SA国际影视传媒� as far as New York City and Stockholm, Sweden SA国际影视传媒� to protest the removal of the Gidimt'en blockade and in solidarity with UnistSA国际影视传媒檕tSA国际影视传媒檈n.
Kolson asked that MP Michael McLeod hold the government accountable for the use of to remove Indigenous peoples from their territory, which she said breaks Article 10 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
It states that "Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories."
In May 2016, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs announced Canada as a full supporter of UNDRIP "without qualification."
clear Gidimt'en checkpoint
On Monday, representatives from Coastal GasLink visited the blockade at the Morice River bridge to request access to the public bridge and access road, states a Jan. 7 news release from the company.
SA国际影视传媒淎fter attempting to have another meeting with the hereditary chiefs, which took place on site today with , we were unable to come to a resolution to gain access across the bridge,SA国际影视传媒� the company stated.
The checkpoint controls access to Cas Yikh House territory within the larger Gidimt'en clan territory. House Chiefs represent house groups within the five clans of the Wet'suwet'en Nation. Each house group is made up of family networks and holds distinct territory within the clan, states a fact sheet shared by the Wet'suwet'en Access Point Facebook page.
On Dec. 16, the House Chiefs ratified their decision to support the Gidimt'en access point.
In an open letter Jan. 8 Rick Gateman, Coastal GasLink President said "The outcome of the impasse at the Morice Bridge River crossing is not one we wanted ... ItSA国际影视传媒檚 unfortunate that were forced to take this action to ensure the re-establishment of lawful access to this public bridge and road that leads to our pipeline right of way."
The company successfully sought a court injunction that allows police enforcement and financial damages against anyone occupying, obstructing, physically impeding or delaying the companySA国际影视传媒檚 access to the land.
The pipeline will meet "rigorous environmental standards" and bring an estimated 2,500 construction jobs, many of which are with First Nations contractors, said Gateman.
The hereditary chiefs maintain that any entrance into their territory requires their express consent. Workers from GasLink attempting to pursue a natural gas pipeline from Dawson Creek, B.C. to a coastal facility in Kitimat are denied entry.
The 1997 Supreme Court of Canada Delgamuukw ruling found that the WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n had never ceded title to 22,000 square kilometres of territory.
TransCanada has signed agreements with First Nations along the $40-billion LNG pipeline route, but 13 hereditary chiefs stand in unanimous opposition to the project. The hereditary chiefs maintain that while the WetSA国际影视传媒檚uwetSA国际影视传媒檈n First NationSA国际影视传媒檚 elected chief and council signed an agreement approving the pipeline, only hereditary chiefs have jurisdiction over the traditional territory.
"Supporting chiefs do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the entire clan," states a fact sheet from the Gidimt'en checkpoint.
Northerners rally in solidarity
Kolson said she was asked to bring support from the North and has a close friend who was arrested on the front line.
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e stepping on people to step over the barricade. These are women. These are elders. These are leaders. WhatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening is completely illegal,SA国际影视传媒� said Kolson, who spoke fiercely to a crowd of 30. SA国际影视传媒淭his is not what reconciliation looks like.SA国际影视传媒�
Demonstrators in Yellowknife hoped to alert McLeod that constituents in Denendeh SA国际影视传媒渄o not agree with what is happening in UnistSA国际影视传媒檕tSA国际影视传媒檈n,SA国际影视传媒� said demonstrator Melaw NakehkSA国际影视传媒檕.
SA国际影视传媒淐anada using military tactical force to remove hereditary chiefs from their traditional territory is terrifying, because they can do it everywhere,SA国际影视传媒� said NakehkSA国际影视传媒檕.
SA国际影视传媒淲e think weSA国际影视传媒檙e in this time now where people are getting SA国际影视传媒榳oke.SA国际影视传媒� ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 reconciliation. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e having these conversations and people are doing traditional territory acknowledgements, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 still a colonial state. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 still systemic racism. If regular Canadians canSA国际影视传媒檛 f***ing see that then you are part of the problem. It doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 matter, if you are watching traditional hereditary chiefs being removed from their territory and you donSA国际影视传媒檛 say anything,SA国际影视传媒� said Nakehk'o
SA国际影视传媒淎s an Indigenous person who is a hide tanner and land user, itSA国际影视传媒檚 fear. ISA国际影视传媒檓 terrified. I cannot imagine being forcefully removed from my traditional territories, where I am able to be a Dene person and to try to protect my land and to practice my culture and way of life,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
MP Michael McLeod's office did not stop demonstrators as they pasted their messages of support for people at Gitidimd'en and at Unist'ot'en camp, where people fled after Monday's conflict. During the rally, McLeod was travelling to announce federal infrastructure funds.
