SUDBURY -- About 100 people took to the streets in Sudbury Sunday in support of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
They say they are standing in solidarity with the band in British Columbia opposing construction of a coastal Gaslink project.
Traffic was halted for short periods of time in the downtown core as supporters of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation held a rally.
“We have gathered here today like people are doing across Canada right now, we are standing with the Wet’suwet’en Nation,” says rally organizer Sara Mohan. “They are under threat by the colonial capitalist government who are invading their territory in order to build a 670 kilometre pipeline. The Hereditary Chiefs have spoken loud and clear: no pipeline, no pipeline on Wet’suwet’en land.”
Sunday’s rally in Sudbury is one of many that have been held across the country recently in hopes of drawing attention to the pipeline project through the First Nation territory in British Columbia. Chiefs there say they don’t want it.
Kahteraka Quinney Goodleaf, another organizer of the rally, is concerned that the rights of those from the First Nation are not being respected.
“People are rallying to Wet’suwet’en First Nation because they are being invaded by the RCMP to pass a gas pipeline through and the hereditary chiefs are not being listened to, they are not being respected and they are the ones who represent the people.”
Richard Audet lives in Sudbury and came out in support of the B.C .First Nation. He feels the people’s rights are being violated.
“I think the days of colonialism where we can run roughshod over our indigenous brothers and sisters is gone.”
Organizers say they held a rally in Sudbury because Indigenous solidarity and defending the earth are issues for everybody.
