Disrespectful that Horgan won't meet during northern B.C. tour: hereditary chief

It's disrespectful that Premier John Horgan won'tmeet with five hereditary chiefs who oppose a natural gas pipelinewhile he is touring northern British Columbia, says thehighest-ranking chief.

Chief Na'moks, who also goes by John Ridsdale, said the chiefshave asked the premier for a face-to-face discussion about theCoastal GasLink project.

Na'moks said he was frustrated Horgan didn't meet with the chiefson Friday, when the premier was in the area touring the LNG Canadaproject site in Kitimat and meeting with business leaders inTerrace.

"It really bothered me that he was not that far away and yetsomehow could not take the time to come and speak with us," Na'mokssaid Saturday.

The premier's office said in a statement that upon receiving themeeting request on Thursday, it reached out to the hereditary chiefsto schedule a phone call.

"The aim of any discussion would be continued dialogue with afocus on de-escalation and on safety for all," it said.

The office added that the premier has commitments that rule out ameeting on this trip, but he is not ruling out a meeting completely."Staff continue to be in touch to work on this," it said.

'Looking eye to eye'

Na'moks said only an in-person conversation will demonstraterespect for the chiefs, who assert jurisdiction over 22,000 squarekilometres of unceded Wet'suwet'en territory.

"We want to show the respect back, too," he said. "If you'regoing to have decent communication with anybody, it's best to belooking eye to eye."

The chiefs have refused meetings with Coastal GasLink and insteadcalled for discussions with provincial and federal governmentleaders, arguing the duty to consult is held by the Crown, not theproject proponent.

Coastal GasLink has signed benefits agreements with all 20elected band councils along the 670-kilometre pipeline route. Butthe hereditary chiefs argue band councils only have jurisdictionover reserve lands rather than unceded territories.

Crystal Smith, elected chief of the Haisla Nation, has said herband council signed an agreement because the project is creatingjobs for Indigenous people and lifting communities from poverty.

Horgan said this week that the provincially permitted projectwill be built, and the rule of law must prevail.

The B.C. Supreme Court has granted an injunction againstsupporters of the hereditary chiefs whohave set up camps closeto a pipeline work site near Smithers. It authorizes RCMP to arrestand remove anyone contravening the order.

However the RCMP has said it's not enforcing the injunction toallow time for dialogue between the hereditary chiefs and CoastalGasLink.

Horgan was set to continue his northern B.C. tour on Saturdaywith an announcement about a new hospital in Fort St. James and byattending the men's B.C. Winter Classic hockey game in thecommunity.

'Very challenging and volatile situation'

Meanwhile, Adam Olsen, interim leader of B.C.'s Green party, wasset to visit the camps set up by pipeline opponents on Saturday.

Federal Green MP Paul Manly also said he was traveling toWet'suwet'en territory to meet with the hereditary chiefs.

"I am going to listen and to observe the situation on theground," he said in a statement.

"I have publicly stated my support for the hereditary chiefs andothers who are engaged in non-violent action to protect Wet'suwet'enland. They are in a very challenging and volatile situation. Theyneed to be heard."