The B.C. government has appointed former NDP MP Nathan Cullen as a liaison between the province and the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs.
This comes after the hereditary chiefs declined to meet last week with B.C. Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser. Five hereditary chiefs are opposed to the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline and have been demanding a meeting with Premier John Horgan.
“I’m pleased all parties have agreed to the appointment of a liaison,” Horgan said. “Nathan has agreed to act as an intermediary in the hopes of finding a solution to this challenging dispute.”
On Friday the Wet’suwet’en chiefs reiterated calls for a meeting with Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The chiefs representing the five clans of the Wet’suwet’en said a meeting with Fraser would not be good enough, and that it is creating division among members of the First Nation.
The chiefs and members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation who support them are blocking construction on a section of the $6.6-billion project that runs through traditional Indigenous territory near Houston, B.C.
The 670-kilometre pipeline is being constructed elsewhere between northeastern B.C. and a LNG export facility in Kitimat on the coast, and has received consent from all 20 elected First Nation councils along the route.
A B.C. Supreme Court injunction against the opponents was granted on Dec. 31, and a deadline for the group to clear a blockade camp has come and gone with both sides at an impasse.
As liaison, Cullen will work with the Wet’suwet’en, Denezeh and Tsakozeh, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Coastal GasLink, the provincial public service and other parties. He served as MP for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding from 2004 to 2019.
His focus will be on de-escalating the conflict surrounding the court-ordered interlocutory injunction regarding access to the Morice West Forest Service Road.
“To date, our schedule had not been significantly impacted by the blockade, and we have the ability to make up lost time. However, time is running short,” Coastal GasLink president David Pfeiffer said Monday.
“I am pleased that Premier John Horgan has appointed Nathan Cullen as a liaison between the Province and the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and remain hopeful that the chiefs will meet with Coastal GasLink and find a peaceful resolution to the current situation.”
–with files from Sean Boynton