Pipeline protester interrupts PM
VANCOUVER — An Indigenous protester opposed to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion interrupted a speech by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a federal Liberal fundraiser on Wednesday.
Will George of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation in North Vancouver stood and called Trudeau a liar and a weak leader.
“Climate leaders don’t build pipelines. So many of our elected leaders in B.C. oppose the pipeline. The mayor of Vancouver got arrested opposing this pipeline,” he said, referring to Kennedy Stewart, who was arrested last year while still a New Democrat MP.
“I’m from Tsleil-Waututh Nation and we say no,” George added. “Are you going to push this pipeline through?”
Trudeau greeted George by name and thanked him for being a strong voice for his community. As George continued to talk over him, Trudeau calmly asked if he could respond before saying his government is protecting the environment, including by bringing in a $1.5-billion plan to protect Canada’s oceans.
“There are strong Indigenous voices like yours, speaking up very strongly against this pipeline and against various projects. There are also, however, very strong Indigenous voices speaking up in favour of this project. I know you don’t mean to delegitimize their voices as well,” Trudeau said.
He said there are a broad range of perspectives and his government’s approach has always been to listen to diverse views and try to respond the best way it can.
“We’re never going to get to unanimity,” Trudeau said.
George asked Trudeau to meet with his people and accused the prime minister of only sitting down with groups that want to “sign off” on the project.
“What do you tell your children?” George asked. “I honour my ancestors, my children, by protecting my lands and waters. You threaten our lands and waters. How dare you bring that through our waters? Those are our spiritual highways. You have no right to do that to us.”
Trudeau said George was welcome to stay if he wanted to listen, but he was eventually ushered out of the Opus Hotel in downtown Vancouver by a manager and an RCMP officer.