Wait, There’s More

Why RCMP arrests in Wet'suwet'en are sparking nationwide protests

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Episode notes

For years, there's been an intense conflict on the Wet'suwet'en territory in northern British Columbia over the construction of a natural gas pipeline. There's also a divide among the Wet'suwet'en people between the hereditary chiefs who oppose the pipeline and the elected band council members who signed off on it. The conflict ramped up last year when the RCMP tried to enforce a court-ordered injunction in favour of the pipeline company to allow workers to come in and start construction. Last week, things escalated again when the RCMP raided the area and arrested dozens of people, sparking nationwide protests. Pam Palmater, Ryerson University's Chair in Indigenous Governance, provides her perspective on what's really at the heart of the dispute that has no end in sight.