Video still: Simooget Watakhayetsxw.

Last week, PBI-Canada met with Lax Ganeada Hereditary Simooget (Chief) Watakhayetsxw (Deborah Good) and members of her team, along with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks, while they were in Smithers for the sentencing hearing of criminalized land defenders Sleydo’, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko.

Simooget Watakhayetsxw opposes the construction of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) fracked gas pipeline that would cross 50 kilometres of unceded Gitanyow lax’yip (territory) in northern British Columbia.

In August 2024, Watakhayetsxw helped lead the shutdown of the Cranberry Connector (Nass Forest Service Road) on Watakhayetsxw territory. This blockade sought to prevent any PRGT equipment for the construction of the pipeline from accessing the road.

“I am closing the road and I will keep it closed. No LNG equipment will be permitted through the territory.” – Watakhayetsxw, August 23, 2024.

By November 25, 2024, the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs posted: “We will continue our on the ground presence with new cabins, a new Indigenous Protected Area, and on-going monitoring conducted by Wilp members and the Lax’yip Guardians.”

When the British Columbia government announced on June 6, 2025, that it would allow the construction of PRGT, Watakhayetsxw stated: “We’ll continue to fight to protect our territory (Lax’yip) with all actions needed, in the courts and on the ground. From August to November 2024, we denied access for PRGT pipeline construction and we’ll be continuing our efforts to ensure no construction happens on our territory.”

In late-June 2025, PBI-Canada, along with PBI-Colombia, the Forest Peoples Programme and two human rights defenders – Jani Silva and Doris Waira Nina Jacanamijoy Mutumbajoy – from the Amazon region in Colombia, met with Watakhayetsxw to learn more about this megaproject and to forge solidarity across borders.

Now, Business in Vancouver reports that construction on the pipeline could “start as early as the New Year” with “a final investment decision by the end of this year, according to Western LNG spokesperson Rebecca Scott.” That article adds: “Pipeline construction is expected to employ 10,000 to 12,000 workers over the length of the project, Scott said, with 6,000 to 8,000 workers employed at peak construction.”

We also remain attentive to concerns about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and its Community Response Unit (CRU), the rebranded, but still controversial Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG).

PBI-Canada continues to call for the abolition of the RCMP CRU/C-IRG that is currently under “systemic investigation” by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC).

Photo: On March 22, 2023, PBI-Canada hand-delivered to the CRCC office in Ottawa this Abolish C-IRG coalition letter calling for the suspension of the C-IRG during the CRCC systemic investigation (that continues almost three years later).

On a PBI-Canada organized webinar held in March 2024, Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, commented: “Our learning is that consent only works when we say yes, if we say no, even if we say no with science behind us, and our knowledge and our laws behind us, then we will be met with force from the C-IRG, from militarized invasion and occupation and intimidation and harassment.”

We continue to follow this situation.

For more, please see the Flying Frogs Awakened website, a land-based initiative guided by Wilp Simogyet Watahayetsxw.

Map of Gitanyow territory.

Map.

Image from Dogwoodbc on Instagram.

Peace Brigades International-Canada has completed its third visit to Wet’suwet’en territory. We were here from October 12 to 18, 2025, to monitor the sentencing hearing of three land defenders – Sleydo’, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko – who were arrested in an RCMP raid on the territory on November 19, 2021.

PBI-Canada has previously visited Wet’suwet’en territory in June 2025 (with the Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project) and November 2021.

June 2025.

November 2021.

Among the activities and meetings this past week we met with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks, attended the memorial service for Lawrence Bazil, met with Gitanyow Hereditary Chief Deb Good and her close advisers, observed a rally and march to the courthouse (October 15) and observed the three day sentencing hearing (October 15-17) along with Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders.

Our articles posted this week include:

– Three land defenders receive suspended sentences for their defence of Wet’suwet’en territory against CGL megaproject (October 17, 2025)

– Three Indigenous land defenders to be sentenced in Canadian court today at 11:00 am Pacific Time (8:00 pm Central European Time) (October 17, 2025)

– International observers monitor Day 2 of the sentencing hearing of Indigenous land defenders in Canadian court (October 16, 2025)

– British Columbia Prosecution Service seeks jail time for three Indigenous land defenders arrested on Wet’suwet’en territory (October 15, 2025)

– Peace Brigades International, Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders to monitor sentencing of Indigenous land defenders in Canada (October 14, 2025)

Selected photos from this week include:

We continue to follow the situation for Indigenous land and environmental defenders on Wet’suwet’en, Gitxsan and Gitanyow territories.

Today, three Indigenous land defenders were sentenced at the conclusion of a three-day hearing in Smithers, British Columbia.

Sleydo’, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko were sentenced by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Tammen. The sentence was read as Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan hereditary leaders watched from the jury box in the courtroom.

CBC News reports: “For criminal contempt, Sleydo’ was sentenced on Friday to 17 days, Corey Jocko received a sentence of 12 days, Shaylynn Sampson to 9 days. However, their terms are suspended and jail time will only be served if there are further injunction breaches in the next year. Each must complete 150 hours of community service.”

Crown prosecutors had been seeking 30 days in jail for Sleydo, 25 days in jail for Jocko and 20 days in jail for Sampson less time already served in custody with a further reduction of 2-5 days for acknowledged violations of their Charter rights.

Defence lawyers Frances Mahon and Quinn Candler had sought a sentence of time served or a conditional sentence order, with 100 to 150 hours of community service. The defence also asked if the court concluded that additional jail time was required that this be served in the community rather than in a provincial jail as the Crown sought.

Justice Tammen stated he largely agreed with the Crown’s submission and determined sentences of 30 days for Sleydo’, 25 days for Jocko and 20 days for Sampson before credits for time served and for violations to their Charter rights, but chose to suspend the implementation of those custodial sentences.

Justice Tammen also commented during his 45-minute ruling this morning: “I am also mindful of the fact that the dark shadow of the legacy of colonization looms large in the broader backdrop to this case. …If by suspending the implementation of the remaining jail sentence in this case, I can advance the goal of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, even infinitesimally, I should seriously consider it.”

The Gidimt’en Checkpoint social media post highlights: “Sleydo’, Shaylynn and Corey did not go to prison! …We are all excited about this precedent setting decision and all that it encompasses. …This is a win for all indigenous people and our ancestors that fought and died for us to be here.”

Yintah Access video of comments outside the courthouse after the ruling.

The Interior News reports that Sleydo’ remarked:

“I just want to thank everybody for coming, and also just to thank our niwhts’ide’ni, our ancestors, for all the work that we could be here today, and the words and the teachings and the laws that they fought to hand down to us, so that we had something to stand on during all of this. And that was the most empowering thing. And the most important thing to me was that no matter what they said, no matter what they did, they couldn’t touch us, because we’re standing on what our ancestors fought and died for.”

And Sampson stated:

“Since the beginning, I feel like we’ve always known that justice wouldn’t flow from these halls. Justice comes from being on our land and occupying our territory and living and breathing life into our cultures, the Gitxsan and the Wet’suwet’en and the Haudenosaunee are strong people, some of the first and the last people to be colonized on these lands, and we stand here today stronger than ever to continue this fight for our people, for the future generations.”

RCMP raid in November 2021

The sentencing dates back to their arrest by heavily armed Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) officers on November 19, 2021, at an ancestral village site being used for a drill pad by Coastal GasLink as it built their fracked gas pipeline across the Wedzin Kwa river without free, prior and informed consent on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia.

This past February, the court ruled during an abuse of process hearing that RCMP C-IRG officers had made “grossly offensive, racist and dehumanizing” remarks during the arrest and that there would be a reduction in their sentences for criminal contempt as an “appropriate” remedy. There has also been a finding that officers entered without a warrant the cabins the land defenders were residing within.

The Interior News further reports: “The ruling hinged on the ‘serious misconduct’ of RCMP officers during and after the trio’s arrests on Nov. 19, 2021, and on the historical context that led to Sleydo’, Jocko, and Sampson breaching a 2019 court injunction by blockading access to a worksite near Houston.”

The sentencing hearing this week was observed by representatives from Peace Brigades International-Canada, Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders.

Hagwilget Village Chief Yaga’lahl (Dora Wilson), second from the left in the blue coat, worked with the Hereditary Chiefs on the Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa case that led to the historic Supreme Court of Canada decision on December 11, 1997.

Further reading

Supporters Cheer After Indigenous Land Defenders Avoid Jail (Amanda Follett Hosgood, The Tyee, October 20, 2025)

Wet’suwet’en blockade defendant says she welcomes freedom to be back on the land (Edzi’u Loverin, CBC News, October 20, 2025).

Today at 11 am Pacific Time, three Indigenous land defenders will be sentenced at the conclusion of a three-day hearing in Smithers, British Columbia.

Land and territorial rights defenders Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko will be sentenced by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Tammen as Wet’suwet’en, Gitxsan and Gitanyow hereditary chiefs watch from a jury box in the courtroom.

Crown prosecutors are seeking 30 days in jail for Sleydo’, 25 days in jail for Jocko and 20 days in jail for Sampson less time already served in custody with a further reduction of 2-5 days for acknowledged violations of their Charter rights.

Defence lawyer Frances Mahon is seeking a sentence of time served or a conditional sentence order, with 100 to 150 hours of community service. The defence is also asking if the court concludes that additional jail time is required that this be served in the community rather than in a provincial jail as the Crown is seeking.

The sentencing dates back to their arrest by heavily armed Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) officers on November 19, 2021, at an ancestral village site being used for a drill pad by Coastal GasLink as it built their fracked gas pipeline across the Wedzin Kwa river without free, prior and informed consent on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia.

This past February, the court ruled during an abuse of process hearing that RCMP C-IRG officers had made “grossly offensive, racist and dehumanizing” remarks during the arrest and that there would be a reduction in their sentences for criminal contempt as an “appropriate” remedy. There has also been a finding that officers entered without a warrant the cabins the land defenders were residing within.

The sentencing hearing this week is being observed by representatives from Peace Brigades International-Canada, Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders.

At this time, PBI-Canada recalls:

There is a global pattern of aggressions against land defenders: Last month, Global Witness noted: “Over 2,200 killings or long-term disappearances of defenders appear in our database since 2012 – with 146 cases documented in 2024.” They further highlighted: “Indigenous Peoples were victims of around a third of lethal attacks [in 2024], despite making up around 6% of the global population.”

There were repeated letters to Canada from the UN to stop construction of the pipeline: The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had repeatedly called on Canada to stop construction on the Coastal GasLink pipeline, to remove the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory, and to seek consent for the pipeline. Canada is a signatory to the Convention that this Committee is tasked to uphold.

Studies document skewed injunctions: The Canadian Press has reported: “A study of over 100 injunctions published by the Yellowhead Institute found 76 per cent of injunctions filed by corporations against First Nations were granted, compared with 19 per cent of injunctions filed by First Nations against corporations.” The criminal contempt charge against the land defenders stems from their violation of a court injunction while upholding Wet’suwet’en law on their unceded territories within Canada.

Damage has been done to the yintah with the risk now of compressor stations: The Narwhal has previously documented sites along the CGL pipeline route “overwhelmed by spring melt and numerous environmental infractions including slope failures, flooded worksites and sediment entering wetlands and waterways.” If an expansion of LNG Canada export terminal proceeds, two compressor stations would be built on Wet’suwet’en territory in proximity to important cultural sites causing further damage.

There is RCMP surveillance and intimidation of land defenders: Amnesty International has documented that: “Since [Coastal GasLink/CGL] pipeline construction activities began, the RCMP, CRU [the new name for the C-IRG] and employees of Forsythe Security (the private security firm hired by CGL), have subjected Wet’suwet’en land defenders within their territory to intrusive and aggressive surveillance, harassment and intimidation.”

A systemic investigation of the C-IRG has no end date as the CRGT pipeline moves forward: The federal Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) launched a systemic investigation of the RCMP C-IRG on March 9, 2023. As the third anniversary of this investigation with no deadline or release date in sight, we are concerned that this controversial unit will be deployed against Gitanyow land defenders opposed to the construction of the PRGT pipeline on their lax’yip just as it was used against the Wet’suwet’en on their yintah.

We continue to follow this and will be reporting on the sentencing later today.

PBI-Canada is honoured to collaborate with the team from Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders monitoring this sentencing hearing.

Photo: Gathering in front of the Provincial Court of British Columbia in Smithers on the morning of October 16, 2025.

Peace Brigades International-Canada, Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders continue to closely monitor the sentencing hearing of three Indigenous land defenders – Sleydo’(Molly Wickham), Shaylynn Sampson and Corey “Jayohcee” Jocko – in a courtroom in Smithers, British Columbia.

The sentencing hearing began yesterday, Wednesday October 15, and continues today. It is expected to conclude tomorrow, Friday October 17.

Yesterday, the Interior News reported that the B.C. Prosecution Service is seeking a custodial sentence (time in a provincial jail) for the three defenders. The Crown is seeking 30 days for Sleydo, 25 days for Jocko, and 20 days for Sampson. This would be reduced for time already served (ranging for 6 to 8 days) and by a further 2 to 5 days for the Charter violations they experienced when arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) on November 19, 2021.

Today, defence lawyer Frances Mahon argued for a sentence of “time served” (time already served while in custody at the time of their arrest) for the land defenders and that if the Court were to sentence additional time that should be a conditional sentence (essentially house arrest rather than in jail).

The Interior News now reports: “Frances Mahon, defence counsel for Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), Shaylynn Sampson, and Corey Jocko, argued this morning (Oct. 16) that time already spent in police custody following their Nov. 19, 2021 arrests should constitute a fit sentence.”

That article adds: “[Mahon] asked what message it would send to Canadians, international observers, and Indigenous people if individuals who had been treated in this manner were to receive further jail time. ‘Further jail time will further degrade the reputation of the court,’ she said. Mahon said that if the court does not accept her recommendation of time served, the remaining time should be served under house arrest.”

The Prince George Citizen further notes: “[Mahon] asked Tammen to take history into account when considering the moral blameworthiness of the three. ‘Colonization created the problem that the Wet’suwet’en Nation faces to this day in its constant struggle to have the Canadian government affirm their title in a meaningful and lasting way.’”

Justice Michael Tammen will issue his ruling on the sentencing of the three land defenders tomorrow, Friday October 17 starting at 11:00 am PST.

Additional reading: British Columbia Prosecution Service seeks jail time for three Indigenous land defenders arrested on Wet’suwet’en territory and International human rights organizations to monitor sentencing of Indigenous land defenders criminalized by Canada.

Photo: The rally and march from Highway 16 and Main Street to the Provincial Court of British Columbia on Alfred Avenue in Smithers.

The Interior News reports: “The B.C. Prosecution Service is seeking custodial sentences for three Coastal GasLink pipeline opponents convicted last year of criminal contempt for blockading a worksite near Houston.”

“Crown counsel Paul Backman laid out the ask to Supreme Court Justice Michael Tammen as the sentencing hearing for Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), Shaylynn Sampson, and Corey Jocko got underway in Smithers this morning (Oct. 15).”

The article continues: “Backman said the Crown believes an appropriate sentence for Sleydo’ is 30 days given her leadership role in the blockade. This would be reduced by eight days for time-served on remand after her arrest on Nov. 19. The prosecution also recommended a further reduction of two to five days for excessive force and racial abuse the defendants were subjected to by the RCMP.”

It further notes: “For Jocko, Backman petitioned for 25 days in jail, less eight days for time served, less two to five days for the Charter violation. Finally Backman asked for 20 days for Sampson, less six days time served as she was released the day before the other two (time served is credited as 1.5 days for each day incarcerated).”

Both Peace Brigades International-Canada and Amnesty International were present in the courtroom observing the proceedings. The Amnesty International media release, that highlights that Front Line Defenders is also monitoring the sentencing hearing, can be read at International Human Rights Organizations to Monitor Sentencing of Indigenous Land Defenders Criminalized by Canada.

Justice Michael Tammen is expected to issue his ruling on Friday October 17.

Other media coverage has included: Sentencing of land defenders tests Canada’s commitment to Indigenous rights (National Observer), and Amnesty International to attend Wet’suwet’en blockade sentencing hearings (CBC News).

Additional photos from October 15, 2025.