As hereditary chiefs from Wet’suwet’en First Nation return to British Columbia, protesters show no signs of dismantling the blockades crippling the country’s rail system, despite ongoing pleas from the federal government.
“The time has come, the barricades must come down,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said during an interview with CTV’s Question Period Sunday, as he asked Indigenous Leaders to continue dialogue.
“We are urging people to do the right thing, take those barricades down, come back to the table.”
On Friday, Trudeau said court injunctions to put an end to the blockades “must be obeyed” and that “the law must be upheld.” Blair
But little has changed at the blockade near Belleville, Ont. that remains the most disruptive in Canada, and support appears to be growing.
A rally is planned to take place on Parliament Hill Monday morning, while MPs are in legislature.
“For them to say it’s not their responsibility is a lie, which is why we are bringing it to their front door.”
“It is a necessity for us to continue coming out, “said Indigenous Rights Activist and spokesperson for the rally, Ganaaboute Gagné.
When asked about the economic impacts the ongoing blockades have had on the rest of the country,
“Shutting down Canada is not something that will benefit anyone,” said Gagné when asked about the economic impacts the ongoing blockades have had on the country.
“But it’s something that has to be done.”
Meanwhile, the country’s largest supplier of propane is warning of a critical shortage of the fuel.
Superior Propane is already rationing, and expects to run out of propane by March 3.
“We’re looking at a crisis, that’s staring at us in the next four to five days,” said gas expert Dan McTeague of Canadians for Affordable Energy.
“Get ready; fasten your seatbelts, because it’s going to be a rough couple of months.”
There have been already temporary layoffs rail workers across Canada, and the forestry industry too, is in jeopardy, with millions of dollars in goods no longer moving as trains remain at a standstill.
Farmers in Ontario are bracing for more economic hardships, after a devastating year with the CN strike.
“Not getting products to market means no income,” said Keith Currie, the president of Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
“We need action by the government now, not wait-and-see, because we don’t have that kind of time.”
The RCMP say they have “temporarily” closed a remote detachment that stood on Wet’suwet’en territory at the 29-kilometre mark on the Morice West Forest Service Road, setting up instead in the nearby town of Houston, B.C. However, the RCMP says patrols will continue in the area.
Blair said the RCMP has held up their end of the deal, but noted that the RCMP will not abandon the area entirely.
