Affirmation of Indigenous Rights a Matter of Deeds Not Words
Emergency Actions Express Support for
Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders
Action in Toronto, October 1, 2021, in support of the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders.
Actions continue by the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders to defend the sacred headwaters of the Wedzin Kwa river which sustains life in the territory of the Wet’suwet’en nation and beyond. They are defending their hereditary rights on their yintah – their territories – against state-organized assaults which are constant. Canadians are called on to unite as one to protect those who are protecting their hereditary rights on their own lands.
A video released on October 4 on the Yintah Access social media feed shows a new log cabin “that will be housing Wet’suwet’en people for generations to come,” Gidimt’en spokesperson Sleydo’ said. The cabin sits on the site cleared by GasLink (CGL) for drilling under the Wedzin Kwa.
“They were supposed to have all of this done by the fourth quarter of last year, in 2020. They weren’t able to even complete the geotechnical drilling at that time. So they’re a full year behind schedule and they won’t be coming in any time soon to be drilling under the Wedzin Kwa. People are going to be living here and it will be occupied from now on.
“This (CGL) project is not a done deal. It’s only one third complete and most of that work has been happening in other territories. The Wet’suwet’en have been resisting this project since day one and will continue to resist this project until it falls,” Sleydo’ said.
“It’s time to end this once and for all because there’s no way that the Wet’suwet’en are ever going to stand down. (…) We’re not going anywhere. We’re digging in. We don’t give up,” Sleydo’ said.
Prior to this, on October 1, an action was organized by the Toronto chapter of Idle No More, Porcupine Warriors and Rising Tide where various speakers highlighted the recent events that have unfolded on the territory of the Wet’suwet’en and the efforts of Coastal GasLink to push a pipeline through their lands without their consent. Participants were told that the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders had taken over and shut down Coastal GasLink’s drill site which threatened the pristine waters of the Wedzin Kwa river and had cut off the access road to the Coastal GasLink worksite, in the face of the ongoing threats and violence by private security and the RCMP.
Everyone was called on to step up their support of the Wet’suwet’en people in their fight to affirm their land rights and sovereignty in the face of the silence by the media and the Trudeau government’s support for the pipeline despite broad opposition. Everyone was encouraged to keep informed through yintahaccess.com and to talk to their neighbours, family, friends and co-workers about the just struggle being waged by the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders.
Chanting and a round dance at the Yonge/Dundas intersection drew enthusiastic support from the public watching. This was followed by a march up Yonge Street to Ryerson University where the statue of Egerton Ryerson, one of the architects of the residential school system, was toppled in January this year.
This article was published in:
Renewal Update No. 38, October 4, 2021
Article Link:
Affirmation of Indigenous Rights a Matter of Deeds Not Words: Emergency Actions Express Support for Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders
