Northern Health has provided an update regarding the outbreak at the LNG Canada Project site in Kitimat.
As of today a total of 52 employees have tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 9 since the November 27 update.
On-site screening of employees along with contact management and tracking are continuing. There also continue to be no public exposures in Kitimat and the surrounding area at this time.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-eqzcVqAcUFV284GJqRaFEmybTladXev/view?usp=sharing
Statement by Marlene Hale, Wet’suwet’en
My people in Wet’suwet’en are living in the “eye of the storm”. They are contracting COVID-19 from workers flown in from different parts of the country to build pipelines that our people never consented to.
We in Wet’suwet’en are told to stay home and isolate while pipeline workers roam the country freely, spreading COVID.
Man-camps are temporary housing for the workers. They are cramped quarters and involve employees being flown in and out of Kitimat, Smithers, Prince George, and other areas. Man-camps are places of transmission and are leading to the spread of the virus in the near by Indigenous communities. Four people from my small community alone, have contracted COVID-19 from an LNG employee and are now in hospital. I fear for their lives.
This is one of 3 man-camp related COVID outbreaks in Northern BC: 700 Mile Road Camp in Burns Lake BC; Huckleberry Camp – near Owen Lake on Carrier Road; and Camp 9A where one person got sent home today.
There is an investigation of the Kitimat LNG man camp in where on November 19, 14 workers testing positive. This has jumped to 41 cases by November 23rd.
Dr. David Bowering, the former chief medical health officer for Northern Health has said man-camps are like cruise ships, incubating the virus and posing a huge risk to isolated and vulnerable communities. This has been proven by the LNG camp in Kitimat and this is what we are seeing in my community.
Governments and industry have pushed these pipelines through our territory without the consent of the hereditary leadership. This is violating Indigenous inherent, treaty, constitutional and international rights and is exposing our people and our lands and waters to the serious risks from pipelines spills, explosions and worsening climate change impacts.
I would like to share this with you. I live in Montreal a chef/activist and from the Wet’suwet’en Naion