Thread by @Norlaine

#Wetsuweten Coles Notes (as I have been able to understand. It's really complicated.)
1) Elected band councils are 100% in favour of the LNG pipeline
2) Elected band councils are a construct of colonial policy and do not represent traditional Indigenous governance
1/25

3) There is some conflict within the Wetsuweten people as to who is actually a legitimate hereditary chief
4) Matriarchs in the Wetsueten people have been pushed aside by male claimants to the title of hereditary chiefs 2/25

5) Mowhawk groups from Ontario are in close conversation with the Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs and are launching supportive protests and blockades, (Remember OKA)
6) Other groups, some FN, some claiming to be allies, are launching protests 3/25

7) VIA rail and CP rail are shutting down operations across the country, including places where there are no protests. Methinks the big cheeses at the rail companies really hate anyone (including their employees) who interferes with their profit-getting. 4/25

8) The CPC, headed by lame-duck, outgoing leader Andrew Scheer, accuse PM Trudeau of being "weak" and not providing a timeline for resolution.
9) #cpcldr hopefuls are trying to "out-colonial" each other. Thus far only Gladu has openly called for tanks to stop the protests... 5/25

10) PM Trudeau returned from an international effort to get Canada back on the UN Security Council, a seat lost by the international nastiness of former PM Harper. 6/25

11) Conservatives hate the UN. This is not new. This has leaked over from the GOP in the US. 7/25
washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-g…

For the duration of the dispute, Canadian conservatives have gnashed their teeth over our PM trying to reclaim this important position in the global community. The Wetsuweten issue is just giving them an issue to rail about in this moment. 8/25

So, the PM is back and in the HoC today he called for patience. He offered the chiefs and all FN representatives an opportunity to discuss and negotiate a win-win end to this situation. 9/25

Andrew Scheer responded that the PM is weak and what is needed is decisive action. Decisive action usually translates to police/military violent intervention. Deaths and arrests. Such things, he feels, would be "strong". 10/25

12) The CPC and other conservatives in Canada are portraying the protest actions as illegal. Yet, the courts have ruled that the Westsuweten hereditary chiefs have control over unceded land. That means land not relinquished by treaty. 11/25

13) So is it illegal? Or are conservatives just saying it is illegal because most Canadians don't know but they do know it's Indigenous people protesting and it's causing economic inconvenience? Are they trying to sway people who don't know any better? 12/25

14) PM Trudeau held a meeting with all party/Indigenous leaders this afternoon except Andrew Scheer. Trudeau says Scheer has clearly indicated he does not want to talk. 13/25

15/ The CPC are portraying this as a "tantrum" by the PM. I don't believe these people have ever seen a tantrum. Possibly their own toddlers have always had their tantrums while in the nanny's care. This was not a tantrum. This was a clear declaration by the PM that 14/25

knee-jerk violence against Indigenous People was not on the table, despite what the CPC might urge to the contrary. It is a special sort of mind-set that sees violence as the go-to solution for problems. This is who the modern conservatives are. 15/25

16) There are a lot of built-up grievances. The Coastal Gas pipeline is a flashpoint. Not everything being protested is about that pipeline. FNs have a long history of abuse by colonial governments. It doesn't seem possible to separate it into distinct issues at this point. 16/25

This means that any violent attempt to put down this protest will not only not solve anything, but it will fuel the flames of protests going forward. The CPC approach would entrench the "us" vs "them" dichotomy. 17/25

17) It is worth asking why the elected Wetsuweten chiefs signed on to the pipeline. I have been advised it is because they were convinced of the benefits to their people. These benefits may or may not materialise. But in situations of extremely negative economic conditions, 18/25

It is hard to fault those elected chiefs from trying to better things in their communities.
18) The CPC is trying lay the blame on "paid, professional, non-indigenous activists" b/c it's not good to look too racist. But RCMP surveillance is not reporting this. 19/25

Non-indigenous protesters are, most likely, regular Canadians who sympathise and/or have deeply held environmental concerns. And that is from the official police surveillance reports. 20/ 25

19) It is really inconvenient, even costly, for many people to have these protests going on. But it is really hard to pull off any kind of moral superiority if you fully understand what white society has done/is doing to Indigenous People. 21/ 25

Your bottom line is going to be down thousands this month because of rail stoppages? So sad. We are dealing with people for whom your monthly profit is more than they see in a year. Get the F*ck over yourselves. 22/25

20) We all live here. We all need to make this work. Our white society has a lot to learn from traditional practices. We can also share much with them. It should be a partnership, going forward, so all our children have opportunity to reach their dreams. 23/25

The Wetsuweten have some internal issues to resolve. Canada has a lot of issues to resolve with Indigenous nations. We are not going to get there with tanks and guns and handcuffs. The conservative approach is so nineteenth century, they should be embarrassed. 24/25

We need dialogue. We need patience. We need adults to manage this in an adult way. PM Trudeau and his team are so far the only party that has exhibited the diplomacy and interest in resolving things and they should have the chance to make it work. 25/25

Here is another thread that contains very relevant information and thoughts:
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1229969…