Wetʼsuwetʼen (also rendered Hwotsotenne, Witsuwitʼen, Wetsuwetʼen, Wetsʼuwetʼen) are a First Nations people who live on the Bulkley River and around Burns Lake, Broman Lake, and Francois Lake in the northwestern Central Interior of British Columbia. The name they call themselves, Wetʼsuwetʼen, means “People of the Wa Dzun Kwuh River (Bulkley River)”.
While the dispute over the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline goes back years, nationwide demonstrations started earlier this month after the RCMP began enforcing a B.C. Supreme Court injunction that would clear the way for construction. Tensions remain high across Canada as railway blockades and protests in support of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs enter a third week.
To tell us about this feud, Harsha Walia, Executive Director of BC Civil Liberties Associates, chats with Harjinder Thind.
