B.C. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip says B.C. chiefs are ready to take on what he calls Battleground 2018.
鈥淎s the days start to grow longer, there remains a smouldering, undiminished sense of determination, inspiration and hope in our hearts as we approach Battleground 2018,鈥� wrote Phillip in a New Year鈥檚 Day statement issued Monday.
Related: Battle against Kinder Morgan far from over, say First Nations
Led by the Tsleil-Waututh, Coldwater Indian Band and Squamish Nation, the head of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs notes that the lawsuits that could shut down Kinder Morgan鈥檚 Trans Mountain Expansion project will be decided by this summer.
鈥淪hould the approval be nullified, our attention will be squarely upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 government to take immediate action to protect the land, rivers, the Salish Sea and stop the Trans Mountain Expansion project,鈥� he wrote.
Related: Trudeau green lights Kinder Morgan pipeline, rejects Northern Gateway
鈥淲e were told that now is the time to implement the United Nations鈥� Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, now is the time to honour the Tsilhqot鈥檌n Supreme Court of Canada decision, and now is the time for reconciliation by breathing life into the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 94 Calls to Action. Is that what we have seen?鈥�
He went on to say the Coast Protectors campaign arose to send a clear message to Trudeau that they would not back down just because his government approved the Trans Mountain Expansion project.
鈥淎fter all, Enbridge鈥檚 Northern Gateway was approved by the former Prime Minister and the courts killed it because of the flagrant refusal to honourably engage with Indigenous communities on the irreversible impacts to their Title, Rights and Treaty Rights,鈥� he added.
鈥淭here are tens of thousands of us and we will do what it takes to stop this pipeline expansion project and tanker nightmare.
鈥淚 raise my hands to the Indigenous Nations, Peoples, friends and allies for your commitment and work in 2017.
Related: B.C. First Nation joins 鈥榟ologram鈥� protest vs Kinder Morgan pipeline
鈥淚n 2018, we will move forward together.
鈥淲hatever it takes.鈥�
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