For some, protests are getting out of hand
Protesters standing in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs are only inflaming an already intense situation, and have disregarded the years of consultations conducted with First Nations along the pipeline route, says Ellis Ross, who served for 14 years on one of the 20 elected band councils that signed an agreement with Coastal GasLink.
“There’s a lot of people that aren’t from these communities, that aren’t Aboriginal, that are saying hereditary leadership has full authority, and they’re not doing it based on any facts. It would be like me saying that the elected leadership of B.C. and Canada has no authority, and it’s the Queen who has all authority,” said Ross, now the Liberal MLA for Skeena, B.C. “That would be a very destabilizing remark to make. It’s a very irresponsible remark to make.”
Five Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs have claimed they have title to a vast 22,000-square-kilometre area, about four times the size of Prince Edward Island, and that the elected chiefs only have authority over reserve lands. Ross questioned the validity of this point of view given that Aboriginal title belongs to Indigenous communities and is not held by any specific individual or group.
“A lot of what I see out there right now, from these people talking about it, is basically opinion. It’s not fact,” he said, adding that nobody has ever proved that elected chiefs have authority only over reserves. “In fact, in the Indian Act band councils are legally authorized to sign agreements and contracts on behalf of the communities.”
But anti-pipeline protesters have not acknowledged this grey area, he said, or the five years of consultations.
“It inflames the situation, and I think that’s what the point is for all these people who are talking like this — Natives and non-Natives alike. They just want to heighten the situation that’s facing us today. And these communities don’t need their issues escalated,” Ellis said. “I’m not sure they are aware of it, but they have the potential to tear these communities apart — right down to family and friends.”
For some in the Wet’suwet’en Nation, the solidarity protests are getting out of hand. Andrew George, a member of the Wet’suwet’en Nation and wing chief of the Gidimt’en, told APTN on Tuesday that Wet’suwet’en Elders are worried about the escalating demonstrations across Canada.
“What currently is going on does not reflect the true governance of the Wet’suwet’en – on both sides,” he said, adding that he is particularly concerned about young people blocking trains and chaining themselves to police cars. “When you look at what’s happening with the youth, it’s spreading like wildfire, but there’s no control.”
He called for a rare all-clans meeting to address the issue.
“We are afraid something bad might happen,” George said, adding it’s up to the Wet’suwet’en Nation to take charge.