Trudeau misses Caribbean meeting to deal with anti-pipeline protests

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cancelled his attendance at this week’s meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders to hold an emergency meeting about anti-pipeline protests that have crippled national rail traffic.

Rather than flying to the meeting in Barbados where he could have garnered support for Canada’s bid for a UN Security Council seat, Trudeau sat down with key members of his cabinet in Ottawa.

The politicians discussed ongoing protests that are being held at sites across Canada in support of a small group of indigenous leaders in British Columbia who are fighting the construction of a natural gas pipeline through their traditional territory.

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The protests supporting Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs in northern British Columbia have disrupted passenger and freight railway services in much of the country.

“I understand how worrisome this is for so many Canadians and difficult for many people and families across the country,” Trudeau told reporters after Monday’s emergency meeting. He vowed to “focus on resolving the situation quickly and peacefully.”

One of the potential flashpoints for conflict is an indigenous protest at a strategic rail intersection more than 4,500 kilometres east of Wet’suwet’en lands at Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, about 240 kilometres west of Ottawa, in Ontario.

Mohawk protesters there have vowed to maintain their protests along the CN rail line that passes through their territory until Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers leave the traditional Wet’suwet’en territory.

Heavily armed RCMP officers arrested more than two dozen anti-pipeline activists two weeks ago at remote camps set up by Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs to block the construction of the controversial pipeline.

The 670-kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline, to move natural gas from north-eastern British Columbia to a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Pacific coast, is a key component of a 40-billion-dollar project announced by the federal and provincial governments last fall.

While the pipeline has the support of elected Wet’suwet’en band council members, Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who have never surrendered title to their traditional territory to the federal or provincial governments, do not recognize Ottawa’s authority and regard the band councils as colonial structures imposed on their people.

While vowing to uphold the rule of law, the Liberal government has so far resisted calls by the opposition Conservatives to order police to enforce court orders and disperse the protesters.

Responding to Conservative criticism, Trudeau said Friday that Canada “is not a kind of country where politicians get to tell the police what to do in operational matters.”

The Trudeau government appears to be trying to avoid repeating clashes that occurred in past conflicts over indigenous rights. (dpa)