GROWING CONCERN BY AKWESASNE AS PROTESTS CONTINUE IN SUPPORT OF THE WET'SUWET'EN

By Joyce King

It was a simple inquiry by my 15-year-old granddaughter: why are Mohawk people being arrested at the protest areas?

To give a little background, the issue at hand is a $6.6 billion, 670 km pipeline that will carry gas from northeast BC to a massive LNG export plant being built near Kitimat. Of the 670 km of pipeline, 190 km of the pipeline will go across traditional Wet’suwet’en territory.

LNG Canada is a large industrial energy project. The company will transport the natural gas to the port in Kitimat, British Columbia. At the export facility, the natural gas will be liquefied for transport to overseas markets.

This area is the same area of unsolved cases of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls as highlighted in a book titled: “Highway of Tears” by Jessica McDiarmid.

Looking for answers as for why are there protests, we visited some of the people tending the fire on Kawehno:ke – the same area where the Canadian customs had once occupied the territory of Akwesasne.

It’s a “Unity Fire” they stated: the persons around the fire are here because they want to protect the land for the generations that are yet to come. This is their [the generations yet to come] land and we owe them clean air to breathe.

As we spoke, the persons at the gathering said they are keeping the Unity Fire to be respectful, but also, the gathering is a way of supporting our brothers and sisters from British Columbia. They also stated that whatever happens at the gathering, it will be done by consensus and for the betterment of all of us [Indigenous People]. If there was a decision to demonstrate further, the organizers at the Unity Fire will let everyone know. They aren’t going to interrupt school bus runs, but they are inviting other people to meet, coordinate, have some coffee, maybe some soup and in unity, talk to each other.

The Unity Fire area is being kept clean, being environmentally conscientious and promoting mindful discussions. At the time of our visit, the people at the Unity Fire were waiting to hear from the meetings being held at the longhouses.

By the time we arrived at the Mohawk Nation Longhouse, the meeting had just closed. It was obvious that this was a large group of Mohawk people. They gathered to discuss the recent arrests of Mohawk people at the protest areas. The Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs held the meeting to listen to the concerns of the people.

After the meeting was over, one person approached me, who knew I was going to write an article. He said it was important to report that the issue is about traditional unceded territory of the Wet’suwet’en people.

The Wet’suwet’en holds Aboriginal Title over their unceded territory. In the Tsilqot’in decision (2014 SCC 44), Aboriginal Title is recognized if the indigenous community can establish occupation of regular and exclusive use of the land before European control. However, the onus (proof) was on the Tsilqot’in people. But in 2014, this landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Canada agreed that the Tsilqot’in made their case.

The Wet’suwet’en elected councils have signed an agreement to let the plant go through their traditional territory. In accordance with the agreements, easements for the pipeline will be given to the gas company. This will give the pipeline LNG Canada total control over the traditional territory. An alternative route for the pipeline is not feasible.

The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs were against the pipeline agreement: the agreement will effectively give easements to the gas company over the Wet’suwet’en Territory.

Akwesasronon need to be kept updated. It is the hope that the Salmon River Central School will call an assembly of Akwesasronon students to alleviate students’ apprehension about the protests and to ensure the students know the facts.