Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs sign MOU on title, continue to oppose Coastal GasLink pipeline

Photo: Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks

On May 15, The Guardian reported, “A group of Indigenous leaders have struck an unprecedented deal with Canada’s government to resolve a dispute over territorial rights near the site of a controversial pipeline project which provoked fierce protests, police raids and a nationwide rail blockade.”

“At a virtual signing ceremony on Thursday [May 14], hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en people agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the federal government and the province of British Columbia – a landmark agreement many hope will grant the Wet’suwet’en title rights to 22,000 sq km of territory.”

The CBC notes, “Effective immediately, the MOU commits Canada and B.C. to recognize that rights and title are held by house groups within the Wet’suwet’en Nation, ‘under their system of governance’. …The MOU [also] says transfer of jurisdiction will happen over time and jurisdiction may be shared in some cases with the federal and provincial governments.”

On April 30, the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Scott Fraser and federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett issued this statement that notes:

“There is a great deal of work ahead of us in the negotiation process agreed to in the MOU, to lay out how we will implement rights and title and how our three governments will work together into the future. As negotiations proceed on the affirmation and implementation of Wet’suwet’en rights and title, we will move forward with transparency and openess, and will be further engaging with Wet’suwet’en house groups, neighbouring Nations, local governments, stakeholders and the public.”

The Narwhal has reported that a March 1 joint statement on this MOU would not resolve the outstanding conflict concerning the pipeline: “All parties at the table recognize that the differences relating to the [Coastal GasLink] project remain.”

Earlier this year, Hereditary Chief Na’Moks stated that the Coastal GasLink pipeline did not have free, prior and informed consent and that “The hereditary chiefs have never approved this project. We never have, we never will.”

On December 13, 2019, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on Canada to immediately halt construction on the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline on the lands and territories of the Wet’suwet’en peoples given it lacks their UN-recognized right to free, prior and informed consent.

Peace Brigades International-Canada has posted this online URGENT ACTION petition to enable you to send an email to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that calls on him to act in accordance with the UN Committee’s resolution before the UN vote on June 17 on Canada’s bid for a Security Council seat.