Wet’suwet’en Pipeline Encroachment

Jason Franson/THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Coastal GasLink Pipeline is being built through the traditional lands of the Wet’suwet’en people in Northern BC. The controversial project is being protested by multiple Indigenous groups. 

The Coastal GasLink Pipeline (CGL), gained international awareness in 2020, though the announcement of its construction was declared October 2, 2018.

LNG is a large industrial energy project for Liquefied Natural Gas and is the largest private sector investment in Canada’s history. The Coastal GasLink Pipeline will span 670 kilometres from Dawson Creek to the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat. 

As stated on the CGL website, “Coastal GasLink will not be producing or exporting natural gas or LNG – our role is to ensure the safe transportation of natural gas. The approved Coastal GasLink route was determined by considering Indigenous, landowner and stakeholder input, the environment, archaeological and cultural values, land use compatibility, safety, constructability and economics.” 

Hereditary Chiefs of Wet’suwet’en stated that no pipeline would be built on their land and asked the corporation to leave. The corporation obtained a court injunction against the Wet’suwet’en protesters on January 7, 2020, meaning they must refrain from protesting on the land. 

CGL needs the consent of Hereditary Chiefs to continue building the pipeline, which has not been granted. The United Nations Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states that the rights of Indigenous peoples include free, prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their lands and livelihoods. The provincial government passed UNDRIP into law in November 2019. This means the Indigenous peoples have the right of having informed consent on projects regarding their land, such as the CGL pipeline.

There have been many protests to fight the pipeline’s construction, such as the protest at Coyote Camp. Abuse from the RCMP to Indigenous peoples, land defenders, and protesters has occurred. In addition, infringement of land ownership, forcibly removing Indigenous Peoples from their own territory, and the exploitation of natural resources is occurring.

 “In today’s world we’re fearful of the police, we’re fearful of the governments, all of the threats that are happening. Guess what we do? We put our kids right in our hearts and all the fears go away,” Hereditary Chief Woos of the Gidimt’en clan, whose territory was swarmed in November 2021, told Ricochet.

On November 18 and 19, 2021, the RCMP entered Wet’suwet’en territory and forcibly removed Wet’suwet’en peoples from the Gidimit’en checkpoint and Coyote camp. 

A new hearing has been scheduled for March 15, 2022, for the CGL pipeline opposition members who were arrested in November 2021 for breaching a B.C. Supreme Court injunction.

The pipeline is at over 60 per cent completion and continues to be protested.