Twenty people took part in a protest Monday in North Bay in support of indigenous protesters blocking access to a planned pipeline in northern BC.

TransCanada says it has signed agreements with all First Nations along its pipeline route.

However, a member of the Gidimt’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, says the company lacks the authority to build through their territory because hereditary chiefs haven’t given their consent.

Local protester Yan Roberts tells BayToday they received support from First Nations during the Energy East application process and they’re returning the favour.

“And that’s the interesting thing about these issues of Indigenous rights and questionable projects of extreme energy. They really do bring us together as communities,” Roberts says.

He sees what’s going on in BC as a test for Canada on its support for reconciliation of Indigenous Peoples.

Roberts says North Bay can learn a lot too from what is happening out west.

“This is something that can happen here at home in our own communities and our own back yards. We have to, as a community, talk about this. How are we going to respond when industry goes up against communities?” he asks.

RCMP arrested more than a dozen people at a road blockade in northern British Columbia on Monday.

 

With files from the Canadian Press

(Photo by Chris Dawson BayToday)

Filed under: pipeline, protest