Canada, In Ungoverned Chaos

"I am perplexed by the lack of national leadership. What is happening here is anarchy. Extended illegal protests contrary to the orders of the courts that are shutting down large parts of the national economy."
"To allow things like this to go on for weeks, I think, creates a licence for illegal protests and only emboldens those who are thumbing their nose at the rule of law."
Jason Kenney, Premier, Alberta

"These radical activists have erected these blockades because they want to shut down our resource centre."
"The prime minister is showing incredible weakness by refusing to do anthing about this."
"Will we be a country of 'yes', where big national projects can get built and our country can grow and develop, or will we be a country of 'no', where a few loud voices can shut down development and prosperity for all?"
"On this side of the House, we stand in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en people [and] with the majority of hereditary chiefs from the Wet'suwet'en First Nation who recognize that these types of projects and investments are the only way to lift First Nation Canadians out of poverty, give them hope and opportunity, and give the next generation of Indigenous Canadians the same quality of life that everyone else in this country enjoys."

Conservative Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer speaks to media on Parliament Hill on Feb. 14, 2020. Photo by Kamara Morozuk

A group of twenty activists assembled yesterday to create a blockade on a Canadian National rail line in West Edmonton as a show of support for the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs in northern British Columbia who have refused their consent for the construction of a 670-kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline to run from mortheastern B.C. to Kitimat. Consultations had taken place over a decade between the corporation behind the pipeline and the 20 First Nations bands along the pipeline's path.

Agreement was secured on the part of elected chiefs to proceed on the basis of close to $1 billion in contracts awarded to local business, along with a substantial share of profits to be realized through the operation of the pipeline, agreements reached after over 100 in-person meetings with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs. Company engineers hired archeologists to look for heritage artifacts prior to construction in protection of areas specified on maps the Wet'suwet'en provided.

What the self-appointed 'activists' proceeded to do was lay wooden pallets on rail tracks in solidarity with the opposing chiefs to the natural gas pipeline. Signs that read "No Consent": and "No Pipelines on Stolen Land" were erected. The railroad received an anonymous tip warning them of the blockade, and there was just enough time to alert a freight train "bearing down on that location imminently" to enable it to stop some 20 freight cars before hitting the blockade, averting disaster.

Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Canada's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair stated that his government remains focused on finding a peaceful solution to the protests and blockades, and because a deadline for action could impede such a solution, there would be none announced. Meanwhile, jobs have been lost, critical freight deliveries have been delayed, and perishable products will be spoiled. Both the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec are critically short of propane fuel, and chlorine for water purification is in short supply, among other goods awaiting delivery.

Via Rail that had shut down operations for a week under the threat of blockades, has resumed some of its runs, but chaos reigns right across the country while the rails continue to be blocked, trains are parked and deliveries halted. Polls indicate that a majority of Canadians want an end to the blockades, feeling them to be unjustified. And although Crown-Indigenous Relations minister Caroline Bennett has offered to meet with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs opposing the pipeline they appear uninterested.

"We need to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror, particularly as regards our relation with Indigenous peoples", said Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller. "There is no question that the economy is hurting and Canadians are hurting. There are layoffs and then perhaps even more to come if action is not taken in short order." In effect agonizing empathetically to 'both sides' in emulation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but unwilllng to take any action to put an end to the turmoil.