Hereditary Chief Watahayetsxw vows to defend Gitanyow territory with blockades to stop PRGT pipeline and Ksi Lisims LNG terminal
Video still: Gitanyow Hereditary Chief Watahayetsxw responds to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement today. Video from Laxyipyouth on Instagram.
Members from the Gitanyow, Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en nations, as well as the Kispiox Valley Community Association, travelled to Terrace, British Columbia today to respond to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement about the fast-tracking of two major projects despite Indigenous opposition.
Those who travelled to Terrace included Gitanyow Hereditary Chief Watahayetsxw, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks, Lax’yip Firekeeper Drew Harris, and Kispiox spokesperson Graeme Pole.
Victoria News reports: “Outside of the Skeena Substation [where Carney announced a new list of megaprojects to be fast-tracked], a group of representatives from the Gitxsan, Gitanyow, and Wet’suwet’en Nations, and the Kispiox Valley Community Association, responded to the prime minister’s announcement.”
Speaking to reporters, Watahayetsxw stated: “We weren’t consulted about what health impacts would be to my wilp [house group].”
She then highlighted: “This is our territory, we did not cede the territory to government. …Our goal is to protect the territory. …My wilp is impacted by this. …We are the Ganada clan. And that’s our territory they’re going to transect [with the PRGT pipeline]. But [the prime minister] never mentioned that.”
Watahayetsxw then stated: “I’ll keep fighting, I’m not going to stop because to me it’s clean air and the health of my great-grandchildren. …I’m going back on the ground. Whether I’m in two feet of snow, ten feet of snow, it doesn’t matter. I’m going back on the ground. …I’m blockading because there is not one level of government whether it be British Columbia or Canada that has come to talk to me. I did not give permission, I did not give consent for them to be here.”
Her full comments can be heard here.
Additional context
The Toronto Star reports: “In Terrace, B.C., Carney announced a new list of projects that his government is referring to the Major Projects Office, including the Ksi Lisims LNG plant near Prince Rupert, B.C. and the North Coast Transmission line, a power line project that will help power the plant…”
That article further notes: “The Ksi Lisims LNG project received federal approval in September, when the government accepted British Columbia’s review. It is proposed as a floating facility that would export 12 million tonnes of LNG and is a partnership between the Nisga’a Nation and Western LNG, an American-owned LNG firm.”
And it reports: “The North Coast Transmission line would run from Terrace to Prince Rupert and carry hydroelectric power to the LNG plant… Carney announced [on November 13] the Canada Infrastructure Bank would lend $140 million to BC Hydro to build the power line. The B.C. government has passed legislation to fast-track the line through its own regulatory process.”
The Ksi Lisims fossil fuel project would be fed by the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline that would cross Gitanyow and Gitxsan territory adjacent to Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia.
Victoria News also notes that the North Coast Transmission line is expected to power the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat and that the first round of major projects announced by Carney in September included the LNG Canada Phase 2 expansion.
Today’s announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office can be read at Prime Minister Carney announces second tranche of nation-building projects referred to the Major Projects Office (November 13, 2025).
Five days ago, The Juice Media, an Australian company, posted this 4-minute satire video Honest Government Ad | Watch out, Canada about the Ksi Lisims terminal.
The Vancouver Sun reports that construction of the Ksi Lisims terminal “is expected to be completed by 2028.”
We continue to follow this.
