On December 31st, the BC supreme court granted an injunction in favour of Coastal Gaslink (CGL) and against the Wet’suwet’en people who have been peacefully protecting their traditional territories from CGL’s destructive fracked gas pipeline project. The project is intended to transport natural gas to a liquefied natural gas facility on the BC coast. The supreme court ruling criminalizes Anuk ‘nu’at’en (Wet’suwet’en law) and is in direct contradiction to BC’s adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.1 The hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en clans have not given their consent for CGL to enter and work on their territory and now, have rejected the supreme court decision.2
A year ago this January, heavily armed and in violation of Indigenous and International law, the RCMP forcibly removed the Wet’suwet’en from their unceded and sovereign lands. We since learned that they had permission to use deadly force against unarmed and peaceful land defenders3. Now, they may enact this violent displacement again. Despite this threat, the Wet’suwet’en served notice to CGL workers and evicted them from their territory on January 4th.4
Toronto350 stands in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en who are bravely holding their ground on the frontlines. We call on the BC government, the RCMP and Coastal Gaslink to stand down and respect the Wet’suwe’ten people and the brave people at the Unist’ot’en camp and we demand that they respect Anuk ‘nu’at’en (Wet’suwet’en law).
It is imperative that we support the Wet’suwet’en land defenders and that we broadcast that support to our governments, the media and across this wide country. As written on the facebook page hosted by Wet'suwet'en Access Point on Gidimt'en Territory and Unist'ot'en Camp, “the state needs to stop violently supporting those members of the 1% who are stealing our resources and condemning our children to a world rendered uninhabitable by climate change.”
Please join with those who act in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en. Actions that continue across the country are listed here. A toolkit with further actions we can take to help and resources is found here. You can also take the steps listed below.
1. Let Mike Farnsworth, the public safety minister know that the RCMP can not perpetuate colonial violence with another military raid of Wet’suwet’en territory. See Dogwood script and patch through to a call here.
2. Donate to the Unist’ot’en & Gidimt’en Camp.
3. Add your name to the Stand.Earth letter here.
4. Spread the word and share these potential actions on social media.
5. Stay tuned for more solidarity actions like that held on January 7th, by activists from Porcupine Warriors, Rising Tide Toronto, Climate Justice Toronto and Artists for Climate and Migrant Justice who occupied the offices of RBC, the sole financial advisor for TC Energy and performed a “marriage” between the Canadian state and fossil fuel industry in the lobby of the Royal Bank Plaza.5 A rally and march followed with the protestors stopping in front of TD and HSBC. On boxing day, TC Energy (formerly TransCanada Corp.) sold %65 of its holdings to the New York-based, Korean-owned private investment corporation, KKR, and Alberta Investment Management Corporation, a crown corporation that manages pensions and government holdings. TD and HSBC are the financial advisors for KKR.6
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References:
1. B.C. makes history with legislation to implement UN declaration on Indigenous rights
Wet’suwet’en Supporter Toolkit
2.Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs Reject the BC Supreme Court Decision to Criminalize Wet'suwet'en Law
3. Exclusive: Canada police prepared to shoot Indigenous activists, documents show
4.Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs Evict Coastal Gaslink from Territory
5.Rising Tide Toronto Press Release - January 7, 2020
6.Hundreds Gather in Front of Toronto Banks to Protest Pipeline