Wet'suwet'en News
GITXAALA PRESENTATION TO ENBRIDGE
May 05, 2011
Gitxaala Hereditary Chiefs responding to the disrespect shown by Enbridge representatives.
On May 3rd, 2011 Gitxaala (Kitkatla) Nation met with representatives of Enbridge. Chief Na’moks (John Ridsdale) and Mike Ridsdale (Environmental Assessment Coordinator) were invited to attend this meeting as representatives of the Wet’suwet’en. The following is a brief explanation of the events by Chief Namoks.
The Wet’suwet’en were been invited to the Gitxaala Nation presentation to Enbridge in order to witness the words given to Enbridge from the Gitxaala people.
Gitxaala is on the North Coast of British Columbia along the proposed tanker traffic route that would ship oil to the Asian markets that would be delivered to Kitimaat through the proposed Enbridge Pipeline Project.
The Gitxaala People wanted to ensure that Enbridge thoroughly understood their stance against the proposed route and the severe ecological and cultural impacts that would affect their Traditional Lands, Culture and People.
It is extremely unfortunate that the representatives from Enbridge had decided that they would need an R.C.M.P. escort in order to feel comfortable in this respective and peaceful Village. The Hereditary Leaders of the Nation felt highly disrespected by Enbridge that they had assumed that they would be in need of protective security for themselves, as they were in their Community. As invited guests we could see that the community, as a whole, felt ashamed that a presentation to company representatives would involve bringing in Members of the R.C.M.P. to this isolated Community when there were no intentions of the people to warrant this.
As guests of the Gitxaala Nation, we were treated with the highest of respect and felt secure and were highly honored to have been invited to this event. The Representatives that could attend on behalf of the Wet’suwet’en were the Environmental Assessment Coordinator (Mike Ridsdale) and Chief Na’moks (John Ridsdale). As Mike Ridsdale was a former employee of the Gitxaala Band, he had intimate knowledge of the people and their customs and was extremely useful in assisting in the open dialogue between the Community and the Wet’suwet’en.
Gitxaala Leadership made it very clear to Enbridge that the proposed tanker route would severely impact their Territories, whether there was an Oil Tanker Accident or not. The mere fact that there would be such massive ships passing through the area would disturb the sensitive coastline and eco systems. If they factor in the high possibility of a sinking of one of these ships, then the destruction would be irreparable. The Elected Chief and Council described the affects of this as “Being the same as Cultural Genocide, if you destroy our Territories then you destroy our Culture, once the Culture dies then the people are destroyed. We cannot allow this to happen to our Territories and our People”.
It was made very clear to us that the Gitxaala People have the same of view of this Proposed Project that the Wet’suwet’en do No to Enbridge!
We are so fortunate to have such a strong and proud people that share the same concerns as the Wet’suwet’en and so very honored that they had invited us to witness their statements to Enbridge.
On behalf of all Wet’suwet’en I took the opportunity to thank them for their statements and for being honest and forthcoming to the Enbridge Representatives.
Chief Na’moks (John Ridsdale
