VANCOUVER – When asked if Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline project would go ahead, Chief Na’moks from the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, simply replied “absolutely not.”
Speaking on BC1 with Jill Krop shortly after the approval decision was announced, Na’moks said the lack of consultation has been a big issue.
“How many of them have actually been here to stand on our land, drink our beautiful water? Stand here and just know that we want this to remain as it is. We want it clean. We want it free. And we want it open to all of the world to come and visit and see how beautiful it absolutely is. And know that we are standing up for the people of Canada.”
When asked how far opposition groups were willing to go to stop this pipeline being built, Na’moks said “I think the question should be how far is Enbridge and this current government willing to push the people? How far do we have to be pushed before we actually make them realize that it is the citizens of Canada who run this country, not just an elected government and not just an industry.”
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Nikki Skuce from Forests, Ethics and Advocacy said they have a few steps still to take to continue their fight to make sure the project does not go ahead.
“One is that, as interveners in the federal review process, we have an existing court case that challenges and means that Christy Clark’s first condition has not been met because of the federal review decision being challenged,” she said. “And we’ll be bringing another one, probably, around this federal decision.”
“We are also going to be holding the premier’s feet to the fire and really encouraging this B.C. government to stand strong. It’s great to hear Mary Polack saying the five conditions have not been met and they will be willing to withhold permits.”
She added that Forests, Ethics and Advocacy believe B.C. is going to be a battleground for the 2015 election.
“We’ve neither seeded nor surrendered our lands,” said Na’moks. “We’ve never signed a treaty. There’s nobody that can give permits on our land because they don’t have the legal right to.”
“As a hereditary chief, we have a responsibility to our land, our people, British Columbia and Canada, as a whole, to ensure that the land, the water and the air remains clean.”
– With files from Nicole Gibillini
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