Declaring solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, in opposition a natural-gas pipeline in northern B.C., would break Richmond councillors’ oath of office.
This was the argument made by Coun. Bill McNulty and other councillors to oppose a motion from Coun. Michael Wolfe to declare support for a group of hereditary chiefs who don’t want Coastal GasLink to build a pipeline through their territory although other band leaders have supported it.
McNulty said this motion would put the city in a “precarious position,” and he would like to see the pipeline built. He added he hasn’t seen “good faith” from the protesters, rather it has cost the country with roads, intersections and tracks being blocked, for which he blamed senior government leaders.
“Unfortunately, the federal government did a crappy job … and the little boy at the top has not done a good job and the premier of the province hasn’t done a good job,” McNulty said.
In the end, the motion was defeated with only Wolfe and Coun. Kelly Greene voting in favour.
City staff had written a memo to councillors saying the declaration could cause friction between the city and senior levels of government.
The staff report explained if the federal and provincial governments interpret the motion as saying they are not handling the issue properly and that they should halt the project and consult with the Wet’suwet’en people, this could cause friction.
Coun. Alexa Loo argued against the declaration, saying council has sworn an oath of office to uphold the law.
“We can’t allow groups to hold Canada hostage,” she said. “The whole foundation of our democratic society starts pulling apart if you say today the law doesn’t apply to me.”
Coun. Carol Day spoke against the motion, comparing it to the jet-fuel pipeline issue in Richmond, which council opposed legally through the courts, in the end, losing that battle.
Injunctions have been granted by the courts to remove the protesters at the Coastal GasLink pipeline project site, pointed out Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“For us to say something else I just think is unacceptable,” Brodie said.
He added that he had questions about the leaders and participants of the protests.
