Canada has pushed to resolve Indigenous issues in recent times. For example, we’ve integrated First Nations history into our education. It’s important to recognize this push, as plenty of improvements have been made so far. However, many issues are ongoing. First Nation land rights are often blurred. Often times, these rights conflict with construction. With Canada as a leading producer of oil, pipelines have been an important development for our infrastructure. With the current construction of the Coastal GasLink Pipeline, the Wet’suwet’en people have come to conflict with the RCMP about land and Indigenous rights.
Importance of Pipelines in Canada
I live in Alberta, and our oil sands are the third-largest deposit of crude oil in the world. Due to this, Alberta’s oil industry has strengthened the economy and created new jobs. Compared to other regions, Alberta is seen as “ethical” that treat workers well and return the land to its natural state.
Comparatively, the oil industry has many ecological issues and potential problems, such as oil spills. The industry uses 2-6 barrels of water to extract 1 barrel of oil. This is where our issue comes in. The GasLink Pipeline is a $6 billion project; an insane investment towards gas exports. However, the pipeline encroaches on Wet’suwet’en territory. Along with the violation of rights, this presents the possible threat of pipeline spills or scaring wildlife, damaging the land and practices of Indigenous groups.
How did this begin?
Over a year ago, as pipeline developments came closer to Wet’suwet’en territory, the group began blocking the road with felled trees. The community built four camps along the road. A court
ruling stopped people from blocking the road, so the Indigenous group agreed to let workers through for pre-construction work. The concerns came back this year, starting on December 31, 2020. Another ruling stated GasLink had full rights to continue construction, and were not to be stopped.
On January 7, the Indigenous group held a conference and made a list of demands for the RCMP, though nothing came out of it. The past month has been a continuous back-and-forth without development. According to the Wet’suwet’en, no agreement has been reached. Similarly, the government also has yet to release any information about their discussion. This event still remains a constant battle. On February 10th, 2021, the BC government sent the RCMP to remove the blockades and they reached the final Wet’suwet’en camp.
Issues
This conflict represents the broader issues relating to oil-and-gas and First Nation relations. Within oil-and-gas, there’s the concern of balancing development through relations. This issue is going on today, and there still is no conclusion or agreement between the Wet’suwet’en and BC government. Consultation with Indigenous groups is necessary towards reconciliation, and this ideal has been shown numerous times in the past. As of now, the BC Humans Rights Commission is condemning the BC government for it’s actions. Allowing the construction of the pipeline encroaches of First Nations land rights, and to move forward, we must be accepting of those rights. Due to the amount of resources put into the pipeline, an accommodation of both sides should be strived for, but that requires consultation first.
Whats next?
As of writing this on February 11, 2021, the conflicts between the BC government and Wet’suwet’en is unresolved. Due to this, I believe we need further steps and actions. Since no conclusion has been reached with current consultations, I believe Prime Minister Trudeau should involve himself in the situation, as the pipeline violates First Nations rights. Other possible actions are protesting, as many have committed to already. If this interests you, consider looking up the situation yourself, so you can form a proper opinion. At the time of reading, there are likely more developments, and hopefully, those bring us closer to reconciliation.
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