Wet'suwet'en News
RCMP presence shows lack of respect by Enbridge
June 09, 2011
Kitimat Sentinel
Published: May 20, 2011 8:00 AM
Dear sir,
The Office of the Wet’suwet’en for Wet’suwet’en Nation had attended a special invite by Gitxaala Nation (Kitkatla) where they gave a presentation to Enbridge on May 3. This invite was to witness the words given to Enbridge from the Gitxaala People.
Gitxaala is on the proposed tanker traffic route that would ship oil to the Asian markets that would be delivered to Kitimat through the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project. The Gitxaala People wanted to ensure that Enbridge thoroughly understood their stance against the proposed route and the severe ecological/cultural impacts that would affect their traditional lands/culture, and people. It is extremely unfortunate that the representatives from Enbridge had decided they would need an RCMP escort in order to feel comfortable in this respectful and peaceful village.
The Gitxaala 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 while in the Gitxaala community. As invited guests we could see that the community, as a whole, felt ashamed that a presentation to Enbridge representatives would involve bringing in members of the RCMP to this isolated community when there were no intentions of the people to warrant this.
The representatives of other Nations that attended to witness were also astonished to see the RCMP. As guests, we were treated with the highest respect and felt secure and were highly honoured to have been invited to this event.
As Gitxaala hereditary leaders, and honoured guests know, when you are representing your community, there is a sense of place, and pride that you feel while trying to do honour to your people. For those of us who are strongly connected spiritually to the land, to hear the Gitxaala youth speaking from their heart to the representatives for Enbridge was inspiring. They spoke about their future, their foods, and their cultural teachings that would be affected by just the oil tanker traffic and not a spill, pulled at your heartstrings and made many in the crowd wipe away tears. How can you not feel the loss, the fear in these young people as they try to convince a large entity to stop a destruction of their way of life?
A traditional feast was prepared to show the foods that would be affected with a spill occurrence; Gitxaala hereditary chiefs in regalia were announced in and seated as per Tsimshean custom. After eating, the honoured guests from visiting nations were allowed speak on the meeting; then each Gitxaala hereditary began to speak on their house territory.
It was at this time, Enbridge announced that they were leaving; adding insult above the hurt of having the RCMP as an escort come into the remote community.
When First Nations hereditary dress in their traditional chieftain regalia, it is to show their status as a chief for their house territory, and their words are on behalf of their people.
Enbridge representatives showed that they did not care to listen to a people who will be highly impacted by their project. Enbridge representatives showed no compassion for Gitxaala as they walked away from their leadership.
Gitxaala leadership was 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 ecosystems. 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”, said elected chief councillor Elmer Moody.
It was made very clear to the Wet’suwet’en, and other First Nations that the Gitxaala people have the same 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 honoured that they had invited us to witness their statements to Enbridge.
On behalf of all Wet’suwet’en, we would like the opportunity to thank them for their statements and for being as honest and forthcoming to the Enbridge representatives.
Missiyh,
Mike Ridsdale,
Environmental Assessment
Co-ordinator, Office of the Wet’suwet’en.
BLOGS REGARDING THIS ARTICLE:
COMMENTS •Irisheyesaresmiling
• Anytime there is a public gathering in our small city, there is an RCMP presence. Whether its a hockey game, carinival or parade. I doubt the RCMP would be concerned about problems coming from the host Village. They would be concerned about crowd following professional protesters. Emotions are pretty high and the mobile professional protesters attending the public meetings involving Enbridge are doing their best to ramp emotions up. Take the actions of poster JLS last week attempting to identify someone as Irisheyesaresmiling to precipitate an attack of some sort. He probably succeeded but the victim was not me. Making over the top false accusations and identifying someone who in not in a position to be as Anti NDP and Pro Endbridge as myself.
I am sure with examples of civil disobediance by Professional protesters to date in regards to Enbridge, RCMP have to be concerned, because thats their job.
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JLS in reply to Irisheyesaresmiling
• We know you are a supporter of the pipeline that has been made obvious by you over the past few months. As for the false accusations, prove it! You won’t ever dare prove it because the article about you was correct.
The article you refer to was titled. CAW Kitimat Local 2310 member behind Enbridge Scam. published in the JLS Report. I did retain sufficient evidence to corroborate the article, in as such I stand by the article. Is in not odd the union did not question my article, or try to contact me in regards to the information?
However you are dead wrong about the escort the RCMP provided to Enbridge officials was one normally reserved for high ranking political leaders such as the Prime Minister of Canada.
What happened here is as insulting as having the RCMP escort Enbridge officials to and at a counsel meeting in Kitimat or Terrace.
Its abuse of our publicly trusted officials, and it should be illegal. At very least it was a disgusting display of arrogance on the part of the RCMP to allow themselves to be used in such a commercially motivated manner.
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JLS
• I would also like to firstly thank the aboriginal peoples of our communities for stepping forward when the rest of us have all been denied that right by our own laws.
Reading this article sent shivers up my spine, the mere thought that Enbridge has that much clout with our government that they would allow the RCMP to be used as armed guards for Enbridge officials.
In Egypt, Iraq or Iran, I could understand it, but here in British Columbia? That is an insult, not only by Enbridge but even the RCMP who owe the Gitxaala community a full apology.
The issue goes a long ways to destroying any credibility the RCMP have with the aboriginal peoples, and might even be a hint of whose side they will be if the public tries to stand in the way of Enbridge or any other corporation.
On a different topic, the tankers themselves, I want to know if it is possible, even remotely for one that carries liquid natural gas to explode.
I would also like to know if that explosion would kill, all human life on that ship, and or human life on shore as well as aquatic life in the ocean?
Just how big would a blast from one of these supertankers filled with LPG be? Would it take out the entire port of Kitimat? Would it include the entire village?
I put it that way, because of all the bunk we read about how safe these new ships are. I want a cut and dried answer, because if it is even remotely possible, every citizen of British Columbia has a right to know.
Silently this project has already been approved, and the public has heard nothing about it barring a few people involved.
Silence is deadly, we need answers, we have a right to know that we are not going to repeat the Halifax explosion that killed over 2000 people, injured over 3000 and remains to date the single largest man made accidental explosion.
