The Unist’ot’en are demanding a halt to work on the Coastal GasLink pipeline project south of Houston.
In a news release issued Monday, the Unist’ot’en claim that CGL is violating permits issued by the BC Oil and Gas Commission and the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.
The Wet’suwet’en house says workers have bulldozed traplines in violation of the Wildlife Act, that adequate notice of the clearing work was not given, and that a required archeological survey of the area has not been completed.
The Unist’ot’en also claim RCMP officers have been threatening Wet’suwet’en trappers with arrest for trying to access traplines and residents of the nearby healing centre for practicing their culture.
They claim that these actions violate the terms of the injunction agreement reached between RCMP and Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs earlier this month.
TransCanada, now known as TC Energy, says Coastal GasLink’s work in the area is approved, permitted, and in full compliance with the Environmental Assessment Certificate. It says that is has met all the required pre-construction conditions.
CGL also maintains that it provided notice to trappers about the work and that the traps in question were recently placed.
RCMP say police have received complaints from both the Office of the Wet’suwet’en and Coastal GasLink regarding trap lines and removal of personal property items in the Houston area.
In a statement, the force says it is “following up on all complaints and continue(s) to facilitate ongoing and direct dialogue between all parties regarding various issues.”
RCMP says its role is to keep the peace and enforce the court ordered injunction.
