Straight Talk

West Vancouver councillor tweets that anti-pipeline activists may target Lions Gate Bridge on Thursday

by Charlie Smith on February 12th, 2020 at 8:55 PM
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      Commuters from the North Shore might want to consider taking the SeaBus to downtown Vancouver on Thursday (February 13).

      That's because a West Vancouver politician has stated over Twitter that allies of Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs may target the Lions Gate Bridge.

      It's one of two bridges connecting the North Shore with Vancouver.

      "Those with medical or other urgent issues that require crossing may want to consider preparing alternative plans," Coun. Craig Cameron tweeted. "Blocking critical infrastructure shouldn't be tolerated."

      On Tuesday (February 11), activists blocked traffic at the Cambie and West Broadway intersection from 2 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday (February 12).

      Then on Wednesday afternoon, traffic was halted in two directions on the Granville Bridge by demonstrators.

      Traffic disruptions are part of a broader #ShutDownCanada movement targeting critical infrastructure.

      This rebellion erupted after the RCMP began arresting Wet'suwet'en people and their invited guests last Thursday (February 6) on their unceded traditional territory.

      The police action resulted from a B.C. Supreme Court injunction obtained by Coastal GasLink to enable its $6.6-billion project to go ahead.

      Hereditary chiefs oppose the pipeline whereas elected chiefs and councils along the 670-kilometre route have signed agreements with the compahy.

      Under the Indian Act, elected chiefs and councils only have authority over reserves and not unceded traditional territory beyond their boundaries.

      In 1997, the Supreme Court of Canada granted the hereditary chiefs' appeal recognizing the existence of Aboriginal title and acknowledging their authority through Wet'suwet'en traditions.

      The country's highest court ordered a new trial after ruling that B.C.'s former chief justice, Allan McEachern, made serious errors in dismissing the hereditary chiefs' case.

      That 1997 Supreme Court of Canada ruling stated: "lands subject to aboriginal title cannot be put to such uses as may be irreconcilable with the nature of the occupation of that land and the relationship that the particular group has had with the land which together have given rise to aboriginal title in the first place".

      The Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs say that allowing the Coastal GasLink pipeline to cross their traditional territory violates their law and threatens the river system that they've relied on for thousands of years.

      However, B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office chose not to see things this way when it approved the pipeline, notwithstanding the Delgamuukw decision.

      In the meantime, some leading Indigenous thinkers are using Twitter to let Canadians know what they think of politicians and media commentators who emphasize "the rule of law" and prattle on about reconciliation in the face of the Canadian state's arrests on unceded territory.

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