Tensions remain high across the country as railway blockades and protests in support of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs enter a third week.
While the dispute over the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline goes back years, nationwide demonstrations started earlier this month after the RCMP began enforcing a B.C. Supreme Court injunction that would clear the way for construction.
Coastal GasLink has signed agreements with 20 elected Indigenous councils along the route but the $6.6-billion liquefied natural gas pipeline is opposed by the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who claim rights over the unceded land the pipeline will pass through.
1:51 Face-to-face meetings begin as nation-wide protests grind rail traffic to a halt
Face-to-face meetings begin as nation-wide protests grind rail traffic to a halt
The chiefs and their supporters are calling on the B.C. government to withdraw permissions for the project to proceed.
Across the country, groups have rallied in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation, blocking rails, streets, bridges and ports. Via Rail has cancelled most of its service across Canada, and CN has shut down its rail network in Eastern Canada, halting freight traffic.
Here’s a quick look at what happened across the country over the weekend — and what we can expect this week.
British Columbia
1:45 Demonstrators opposed to Coastal GasLink pipeline project target Vancouver rail lines
Demonstrators opposed to Coastal GasLink pipeline project target Vancouver rail lines
Dozens of protesters who support Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs blocked CN Rail lines in East Vancouveron Saturday. There was also a small demonstration at a Kelowna highway overpass.
One participant, Jewel Gillies, told Global News that the Kelowna rally was “another solidarity action that’s happening all across the nation to continue to raise awareness around what’s happening with the Wet’suwet’en people and their lands.”
Meanwhile, supporters of the hereditary chiefs said they had returned to camps along a road leading to a Coastal GasLink worksite near Houston, B.C., where 28 people were arrested when the RCMP enforced the injunction earlier this month.
Members of the First Nation have also said they are maintaining the eviction order served to Coastal GasLink to leave their traditional territories.
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Over the weekend, a social media account of the Gidimt’en clan — one of five clans of the Wet’suwet’en Nation — posted a video showing an RCMP officer pointing a firearm at a protester earlier in February.
Prairies
After occupying a room in the office of Winnipeg MP Dan Vandal for 11 days, a group of youth protesters decided to go home on Saturday.
One of the protesters, Carter Graveline, said the group did everything they could.
“We really do feel that Dan Vandal has failed us, either by taking way too long with commitments or just not really giving commitments at all,” Graveline said.
The group had called on Vandal, the northern affairs minister, to condemn the actions of the RCMP in B.C.
2:09 Regina rallies in solidarity while Saskatchewan stakeholders worry about blockade
Regina rallies in solidarity while Saskatchewan stakeholders worry about blockade
On Sunday in Regina, supporters blocked off the Albert Memorial Bridge for a second week in a row.
“We’re hoping to send a clear message to the Regina public that we are not in agreement with what’s happening there,” said co-organizer Wendy Lynn Lerat.
“There’s growing support and we’re doing our part.”
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Ontario and Quebec
The rail blockade at Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ont., entered its eleventh day Sunday.
1:47 Indigenous Services minister says solving rail blockades must be done ‘the right way’
Indigenous Services minister says solving rail blockades must be done ‘the right way’
While Miller refrained from disclosing much of what was said, he said he would relay messages to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and cabinet in order to move forward “in respect and peace.”
1:55 Railway blockade remains after protesters meet with Indigenous Services Minister
Railway blockade remains after protesters meet with Indigenous Services Minister
Protesters told Global News on Sunday that the talks were slow. They declined further comment.
Demonstrations also took place for several hours at a rail yard north of Toronto, on Saturday. CN said the protesters were trespassing on active tracks.
The company said it had obtained court orders to end that blockade, as well as the one in Vancouver.
1:48 Pipeline protest disrupts train service on Exo’s Candiac line
Pipeline protest disrupts train service on Exo’s Candiac line
A railway blockade is also taking place in Kahnawake, Que., near Montreal. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office Sunday said Miller had been engaging with the protesters there as well.
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As of Sunday evening, train service on Exo’s Candiac line remained suspended, according to the transit operator’s website, though shuttle buses are running.
0:53 Wet’suwet’en Nation supporters gather at Confederation Bridge
Wet’suwet’en Nation supporters gather at Confederation Bridge
On Sunday, demonstrators gathered on the P.E.I. side of the Confederation Bridge in support of the hereditary chiefs.
The protesters, who waved flags and signs in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation, did not block traffic on the bridge, the only road link between P.E.I. and New Brunswick.
What’s to come
Late Sunday, as protests continued, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced he would not be taking a scheduled visit to Barbados to meet with Caribbean leaders.
On Monday, Trudeau has scheduled a meeting of the incident response group — a working group of cabinet ministers who respond to crises — to discuss “steps forward,” his office said Sunday.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and B.C. Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser are looking to meet with the hereditary chiefs this week.
“We are open and available at the soonest opportunity,” she said on Twitter.
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Today I spoke with Chief Woos of Wet’suwet’en. Together with Min @scottfraserndp, we sent a letter to the Hereditary leadership reiterating our commitment to a joint meeting. We are open & available at the soonest opportunity.
Meanwhile, Via Rail said that almost all of its train service remains cancelled until further notice.
Because CN shut down its rail network in Eastern Canada on Feb. 13, all Via routes with the exception of the Sudbury-White River and Churchill-The Pas are not operating.
Via Rail says it’s not accepting any bookings for travel before Feb. 21.
–With files from Global News’ Sean Boynton, Hannah Lepine, Kamil Karamali, Maryam Shah, Joe Scarpelli, Alexander Quon, Mickey Djuric and The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
