There is a big disagreement up in Canada over the building of a gas pipeline that would cross the territory of the Wetsuwetan tribe in Northern British Columbia. Not only are members of the tribe joining in protest, but other non-Indigenous people have joined. It is causing rifts in the country, the government and in the tribe itself.
The protest is blocking the Canadian National railroad lines. The blockage has stopped shipping on the rails, ships are idle in the port and the fallout is costing the Canadian economy in excess of $5 billion. The protest was organized by a group of hereditary chiefs of the Wetsuwetan who refuse to negotiate until the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are removed from their lands.
There is internal strife in the Wetsuwetan tribe. The elected chiefs and councils are in favor of the pipeline and are asking the hereditary chiefs to cease their rail stoppage and talk with elected tribal officials.
Charles Faucey is a Manitoba farmer who is concerned a prolonged blockage will prevent him from getting his grains to market. Rails can?t empty terminals, which means farmers cannot deliver to the terminals. Also, it is preventing the movement of essential inputs for the 2020 growing season.
The stoppage has lit fuses all the way to the Canadian Parliament where Conservative Leader Andrew Sheer called out Prime Minister Trudeau as ?weak.?
There are no signs of letting up. In fact, more solidarity blockades may be forming.
