OTTAWA – Green Party of Canada members, meeting at their virtual General Meeting at the weekend, voted overwhelmingly to stand in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples in condemning the RCMP invasion of Wet’suwet’en land, site of the disputed Coastal GasLink pipeline project in B.C.
The emergency motion, proposed by Interim Leader Amita Kuttner, also called out “the government’s ill-preparedness and misuse of national resources to protect corporate interests instead of helping communities experiencing climate-related emergencies such as those currently happening in B.C. and the Atlantic provinces.”
The motion called on governments to urgently invest in proper risk management and emergency preparedness to mitigate and adapt to future emergencies in collaboration with Indigenous communities, and to immediately increase investment in support of impacted communities.
“It is absurd that in a climate emergency, and in the middle of a disaster, the RCMP are invading sovereign Indigenous territory for the purpose of defending fossil fuel expansion and corporate interests,” said Dr. Kuttner. “Those resources should be used to help people in crisis and to support communities recovering from the disastrous flooding and mudslides.”
The party’s critic for reconciliation and Indigenous affairs, Adeana Young, said: “Indigenous Peoples are of the air, land and water. Until cultural genocide is no longer being practised, we are always going to be in a climate crisis.
“It's time hereditary leadership is recognized. The Hereditary Chiefs of Wet'suwet'en have spoken. Chief and council structures are not our cultural ways. Indigenous people lived far beyond the government's reservation boundaries and our history is longer than Canada has been in confederation. Let the truth be told and the reconciliation begin. Coastal GasLink is not welcome on Wet'suwet'en territory.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
John Chenery | john.chenery@greenparty.ca
1-613-562-4916 ext. 215