Wet’suwet’en Solidarity and Support

Now is the time the support the Wet’suwet’en people agaist colonial violence and militarized RCMP invasion. Below is a list of contacts and talking points that can be used to contact local media, Queen’s Univesity and Kingston Government Officals in order to make your voice heard

Points to Address

  • Indigenous sovereignty, territory, their laws
  • Respecting UNDRIP
  • Ongoing colonial violence via RCMP
  • Issues should be solved nation-to-nation and upholding ideals of reconciliation
  • Support for blockades (Tyendinaga)

Talking Points

  • I’m calling to ask that your government uphold your commitment to the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and respect Wet’suwet’en Law by withdrawing the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en Nation and cancelling Coastal Gaslink Permits.
  • I am horrified watching footage of heavily-armed RCMP officers forcibly removing Wet’suwet’en matriarchs and people from their own territory, and want your government to immediately cease RCMP action.
  • All five Clans of the Wet’suwet’en have rejected all pipelines. Coastal GasLink’s pipeline does not have free, prior, and informed consent from the Wet’suwet’en. Coastal GasLink and the RCMP are trespassing on sovereign Wet’suwet’en Land
  • It is unethical to expand fossil fuel infrastructure in a climate emergency
  • If you do not order a halt/make a statement against the RCMP’s actions, you will lose my vote in the next election
  • I support the efforts of all people standing in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation, including the rail blockades
  • As a resident of Kingston, I support the rail blockades taking place in Tyendinaga

Sample Letters

Letter to the Editor

Greetings,
I’m concerned about our government’s actions towards the Wet’suwet’en. The Canadian government continues to backtrack on pursuing a nation-to-nation relationship. They are also disregarding their own commitment to UNDRIP. It is a shame for Canada to make such claims of reconciliation as the Wet’suwet’en are being met with armed officers and forced removal from their own lands. It seems to me that the Wet’suwet’en were given a choice to say yes, but not one to say no. I wish to call on the government of Canada to withdraw the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory and cancel Coastal GasLink’s permits. All five clans of the Wet’suwet’en have rejected the pipelines. The CGL proposed pipeline does not have free, prior, and informed consent from the Wet’suwet’en. Coastal GasLink and the RCMP are trespassing on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory.
As a Kingston resident, I stand in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation and all it’s supporters. I support the efforts of the rail blockade in Tyendinaga. The blockades are non-violent and effective. If we wish to see the rail blockades end, Canada should withdraw all police presence in Indigenous lands.

Letter to Queen’s University and Professors

Greetings,
I’m concerned about our government’s actions towards the Wet’suwet’en, and I believe it is time for students, and our public institutions, to take a stand. I wish to call on the government of Canada to withdraw the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory and cancel Coastal GasLink’s permits and show my solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en. As such I will be participating in the National Student Walkout March for Wet’suwet’en on March 4th.
I’m calling on the university and its staff to publicly support the Wet’suwet’en and the struggles of all Indigenous peoples on Queen’s campus and across Canada and to cancel class during the walkout.

Letters to Student Goverment

Greetings, I’m concerned about our government’s actions towards the Wet’suwet’en, and I believe it is time for students, and our public institutions, to take a stand. I wish to call on the government of Canada to withdraw the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory and cancel Coastal GasLink’s permits and show my solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en. As such I will be participating in the National Student Walkout March for Wet’suwet’en on March 4th.
I’m calling on the student government to publicly support the Wet’suwet’en and the struggles of all Indigenous peoples on Queen’s campus and across Canada and to endorse and join the walkout.

Contacts

Email Kingston Mayor and City Council here

Email Queen’s University Admin here

Email Queen’s University Student Government here

Email the Kingston Police here

Email Mark Gerretson MP of Kingston and The Island here

Letters to the Editor

Send a letter to the Queen’s Journal here

Send a letter to the Kingston Whig here