THUNDER BAY – A nationwide show of support for hereditary chiefs in the Wet’suwet’en Territory has landed at Lakehead University.
Among the crowd of 100 gathered in solidarity on Wednesday afternoon was Liston Bentley, a first-year student at the Thunder Bay school who hails from the British Columbia First Nation, where blockades have led to arrests of protestors opposed to Coastal GasLink’s proposed $6.6-billion natural-gas pipeline being built on their territory.
It’s tough being so far from home, he said.
But it’s great to see so many people from so many different backgrounds willing to stand up and fight for what’s right.
“It makes me feel so proud and so much honour that there is so much support for life and for the future of all Canadians and all children,” he said, clutching a red sign that reads, “We stand with Wet’suwet’en.”
“It makes me so proud to see all these people with us and among us. But it also hurts my heart, when I look at the history of protests and advocacy, and the impotency of it.”
The fight began this past Dec. 31, when the British Columbia Supreme Court gave the company an expanded injunction against community members, who were preventing workers from accessing the project site.
Coastal GasLink says it has agreements signed with 20 First Nations along its proposed pipeline route, including the elected leadership in Wet’suwet’en.
However, the hereditary chiefs disagree with the plan.
The protests have led to the RCMP stepping in and arresting some of the protestors, which has left many questioning the legality of such action and led to protests from coast to coast.
Neeben Scanlon-Wabasse, an LU student who helped organize the rally, said he did so to help support defenders of the land in the Wet’suwet’en Territory and their right to self-govern themselves.
“It’s important to get these messages across to these people, especially when they’re the future leaders of society” Scanlon-Wabasse said, point around a packed Agora.
“Hopefully we share the same values regarding these types of issues.”
He added it’s heartwarming to see just how much support is out there, especially at the university.
“I didn’t think there would be that much support,” Scanlon-Wabasse said.
“I think it shows that even when the event is over today, it will carry on.”
The government must understand that land is worth fighting for, he added.
“The atrocities being committed, we can’t stand for that as a country, especially considering the long rich history of oppression we’ve faced. They won’t silence us now.”
