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(Speaking native language) (Speaking native language) >> GOOD DAY. I AM WOOS, HOUSE CHIEF FOR THE GRIZZLY HOUSE. I WANT TO THANK TYENDINAGA PEOPLE AND THEIR LEADERS HERE FOR WELCOMING US IN TO THEIR LAND AND THEIR HOSPITALITY WAS GREAT. I HAVE WITH ME, WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER... WE COME A LONG WAYS, NOT ONLY THE DISTANCE THAT WE TRAVEL, AND WE HEARD PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO TALKING ABOUT THE INCONVENIENCE THAT CANADA HAS SUFFERED. HOWEVER, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INCONVENIENCE AND INJUSTICE. TOTAL DIFFERENCE. DON'T CONFUSE ONE WITH THE R. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. HE DID MENTION THE HISTORIC WRONGS OF THE PAST, AND HE DID MENTION A FEW THINGS AS WELL THAT I WILL GO THROUGH.
TODAY THE MOHAWK PEOPLE AND THE WET'SUWET'EN PEOPLE STOOD IN SOLIDARITY AT THE MOHAWK COUNCIL HOUSE IN TYENDINAGA TO AFFIRM THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BY AND WATCH WHILE WET'SUWET'EN TITLE AND RIGHTS OVER THEIR LANDS ARE IGNORED, AND WHILE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN THE WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY. CONTRARY TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE BC RCMP ON FEBRUARY 20th, 2020, THEY ARE WITHDRAWING FROM THE WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY. THE HEREDITARY CHIEFS OF THE WET'SUWET'EN CONFIRM AT THE MEETING THAT THE BC RCMP AND THE CIRG HAVE, IN FACT, INCREASED HARASSMENT, MADE ILLEGAL ARRESTS, INCREASED SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING OF WET'SUWET'EN PEOPLE AND OUR INVITED GUESTS. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND FAR FROM THE SHOW OF GOOD FAITH AND CONTRADICTS AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE BC RCMP.
BOTH THE WET'SUWET'EN HEREDITARY CHIEFS AND THE MOHAWK PEOPLE OF TYENDINAGA REMAIN DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THE MYRIAD OF LAWS THAT CANADA HAS BROKEN INCLUDING WET'SUWET'EN LAW. THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION, THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA, DELGAMUUK DECISION OF 1997, UNDRIP AND THE GENEVA CONVENTION ON GENOCIDE, THEY WANT TO REMIND CANADA AND THE WORLD THAT THE WET'SUWET'EN LAND WAS NEVER CEDED OR SURRENDERS. AND AS SUCH, CANADA'S ACTIONS AMOUNT TO ILLEGAL OCCUPATION IN WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORIES. THEY ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT THAT THE RAIL LINE SHUTDOWNS COULD HAVE BEEN ENDED MANY, MANY DAYS AGO IF ONLY CANADA, BC, CGL AND THE RCMP HAD HONORED THEIR OWN LAWS AS WELL AS THE RESPECTED WET'SUWET'EN LAWS.
THE WET'SUWET'EN HEREDITARY CHIEFS HAVE PUT A PATH OF PEACE FORWARD IN ORDER THAT NATION TO NATION DISCUSSIONS WITH CANADA AND BC MAY OCCUR FREELY AND WITHOUT DURESS. WE DEMAND THE REMOTE DETACHMENT, COMMUNITY INDUSTRY, SERVICE OFFICES ESTABLISHED BY THE RCMP ON WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY. WITHOUT OUR CONSENT BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED AND THE RCMP ARE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM OUR TERRITORY AND CEASE PATROLS FROM OUR LANDS. OUT MEANS OUT. WE DEMAND THAT ALL CGL ACTIVITIES CEASE WITHIN WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY WHILE NATION-TO-NATION TALKS ARE GOING ON AS PRESENT TO THE EVICTION NOTICE DELIVERED TO THEM ON JANUARY 4th, 2020.
WE COMMIT TO ENTERING IN TO A NATION-TO-NATION DISCUSSION WITH CANADA AND BC ONCE THE TWO DEMANDS ARE MET AND WE INSIST THESE DISCUSSIONS OCCUR, THAT THEY WILL BE HELD ON WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY TO ENSURE INCLUSIVITY FOR OUR NATION, THE HEREDITARY CHIEFS AND THE MEMBERS THAT WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO AND IN ACCORDANCE TO OUR LAW. THE MEETING TODAY CAME ON THE HEELS OF THE NINE-HOUR MEETING OF THE MOHAWK PEOPLE AND TYENDINAGA AND THE MINISTER OF INDIGENOUS SERVICES ON FEBRUARY 19th, 2020. ALL SIDES ARE SAYING THEY'RE KEEPING THE DISCUSSIONS OPEN AND REMAIN HOPEFUL.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MOHAWK PEOPLE OF THE TYENDINAGA HAVE STATED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW THE TRAIN TO PASS THROUGH THEIR TERRITORY AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO DO SO, ONCE IT IS VERIFIED BY THE WET'SUWET'EN R HEREDITARY CHIEFS AND THEIR APPOINTED LEGAL OBSERVERS THAT THE BC RCMP ARE INDEED OUT OF THE TERRITORIES. UPON CONFIRMATION, THE MOHAWKS HAVE AGREED TO NEGOTIATE THE PEACEFUL EXIT PLAN AS AGREED UPON BETWEEN THE MOHAWKS AND THE MINISTER OF INDIGENOUS SERVICES CANADA, NAMELY MARC MILLER. THE WET'SUWET'EN HEREDITARY CHIEFS ALSO WANT TO REITERATE TO MINISTER CAROLYN BENNETT AND MARC MILLER THAT THEY REMAIN WILLING TO ENTER IN TO A NATION-TO-NATION TALKS ONCE THE RCMP IS OUT OF THEIR LANDS AND ALL WORK BY CGL HAS CEASED. THIS WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO. WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
>> JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN REACT TO WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THE BLOCKADES MUST COME DOWN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. MENTMENT -- HOURS...
>> I'LL REITERATE WHAT MY PEOPLE SAID, IS THAT THE BLOCKADES, WHICH ARE NONE, THAT WE'LL ALLOW TRAINS TO PASS THROUGH OUR TERRITORY ONCE THE RCMP HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY AND THAT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE HEREDITARY CHIEFS AND THE NATIONS AND NOT BEFORE THEN.
>> CHIEF, YESTERDAY (inaudible) SAID THAT HAVING CGL STOP WORK IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> I THINK OUR STANCE REMAINS SIMILAR, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, WE SAID WE WANTED THEM TO COME IN AND TALK WITH US. WE HAVE A PROCESS. WE DEFINITELY WANTED THEM TO COME, AND JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AS WELL, WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THAT WE WERE GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH Mr. HORGAN, Mr. SCOTT FRASER CAME IN WITH HIS COLLEAGUES, AND THEY ENDED UP DOING THE DISCUSSION WITH US, SO IT WASN'T VERY PRODUCTIVE AT THAT TIME. ON OUR PART IT WAS.
>> THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IT EXHAUSTED ALL THE AVENUES THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS AND IT CAN'T HAVE DIALOGUE WHEN ONLY ONE PARTY COMES TO THE TABLE. WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE?
>> CONTRARY TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW, NATION-TO-NATION, WE'RE OPEN TO IT, AND I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC OPINION AS WELL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF HE'S WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH US, WE ARE OPEN TO THAT, PROVIDING THE RCMP GET OUT OF OUR TERRITORY.
>> CHIEF, ONE OF THE ONGOING NARRATIVES IS ONE OF ANTI-FOSSIL FUELS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ARGUMENT, YET WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROTESTERS, THE BLOCKADES, THEY'RE USING FOSSIL FUELS TO KEEP WARM, TO FUEL THEIR VEHICLES. IS THERE NOT A DEGREE OF HYPOCRISY THERE?
>> I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TO PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTRITION, SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT.
>> CHIEF, CAN I JUST CLARIFY YOUR DEMANDS. IS IT TO HAVE RCMP LEAVE ENTIRELY AND CGL STOP WORK?
>> EXACTLY.
>> SORRY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. SO DOES THAT THEN MEAN IT HAS TO BE VERIFIED BY YOURSELVES IN GOING BACK TO WET'SUWET'EN TO VERIFY THAT THE RCMP ARE WITHDRAWING OR IS THERE SOMEBODY THERE THAT CAN DO IT, AND THE OTHER QUESTION IS, IS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR DEMANDS NOW TO MEET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, OR IS IT OKAY TO MEET WITH MINISTERS BENNETT AND MILLER?
>> I THINK FOR YOUR FIRST ONE, THE CANADIAN PRESS AND THE RCMP, THE GOVERNMENT, THEY HAVE THEIR INTEL. SO IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE VERIFY, WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND THAT ARE WATCHING. WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PHYSICAL MOVEMENT. THE WAY THEY CAME IN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER IS THE WAY WE WANT THEM TO GET OUT. WE WANT THE TRAILERS ALL MOVED OUT OF THERE. WE WANT EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RCMP OUT OF THERE, AND THAT WE'RE FIRM ABOUT. AND WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, DEFINITELY IT WILL BE A FRUITFUL MEETING, AND IF SO, WITH HIS MINISTERS, SO THERE WE GO. THAT'S THE NATION-TO-NATION TALK WE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD ON.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE PRIME MINISTER OR WILL YOU BE OKAY WITH MINISTERS MILLER AND BENNETT INSTEAD?
>> MINISTER BENNETT AND MILLER, YEAH.
>> WE WON'T SEE THIS HERE IN TYENDINAGA COME DOWN IF CGL DOES NOT WITHDRAW FROM THE WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY, OR IS IT JUST THE RCMP PRESENCE?
>> WE HAVE BEEN P CONSISTENT THIS ENTIRE TIME, THE LAST 14, 15 DAYS, AND THAT IS THAT THE RCMP MUST GET OUT. WE HAVEN'T ADDED ANY OTHER CONDITIONS EXCEPT THAT ONCE THAT OCCURS, THEN WE'VE COMMITTED WITH THE MINISTER OF INDIGENOUS SERVICES FOR ADDITIONAL MEETINGS TO DISCUSS AND TO NEGOTIATE A SAFE STRATEGY, LIKE EXIT STRATEGY OR PLAN, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT'S AT. THERE'S NO OTHER DEMANDS OR EXTRA STUFF ON OUR PART ON THAT.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO HONOUR YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED STANDING FOR RIGHTS OF THE METIS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HALF AND HALF. WHAT QUESTION WOULD YOU SAY TO THE CANADIANS THAT ARE STANDING BEHIND YOU? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THEM? THE NON-INDIGENOUS CANADIANS THAT ARE STANDING... (inaudible)?
>> WELL, IT'S VERY SIMPLE. I THINK THEY HAVE THE SAME VISION, THE SAME VALUES, THE SAME CONCERNS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM. WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT KEEPING THE PRISTINE WATERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT THE WAY WE'RE INTRODUCED IN TO IT BY OUR CREATOR, AND WE'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN, AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME VISION THAT SOME OF OUR SUPPORTERS AND THE NON-INDIGENOUS SUPPORTERS HAVE THE SAME FEELING AND SAME VISIONS.
>> I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
>> YOU SPOKE ABOUT HAVING NATION-TO-NATION CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE IN YOUR TERRITORY (inaudible) AND THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE OKAY WITH THE PIPELINES?
>> YOU KNOW, IN OUR CULTURE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE OPINIONS ARE ON OTHER PEOPLE. WE STILL HOLD WHAT GOES TO EACH OTHER. WET'SUWET'EN PEOPLE HOLD WHAT GOES TO EACH OTHER. WE HOLD GREAT RESPECT TO EACH OTHER. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COMES BETWEEN US. IN THE END, WE STILL RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.
>> I'M JUST WONDERING THE LEVEL OF (inaudible) YOU ARE STANDING UP AND WE'RE HEARING REPORTS OF A LEVEL OF VIGILANTISM AND PEOPLE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE AND TRYING TO (inaudible) JUST WONDER HOW CONCERNED YOU ARE ABOUT THAT.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE UNDERLYING ISSUE IN CANADA IS EXACTLY THAT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THAT'S HAPPENING NOWADAYS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALSO WHEN WE SHOOK THE SO-CALLED VOTE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SURFACED THETHEM, AND PEOPLE COME IN AND SHOW WHAT GOES AND THE CLOSEST WORD TO COME UP WITH IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS RESPECT. IF THEY SHOW RESPECT, DEFINITELY WE'LL START TALKING. WE'LL START LOOKING AT A DIALOGUE, BUT WHEN YOU GO BACK TO SIMPLE NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES, RESPECT, TRUST COMES FIRST. IF THOSE TWO ARE NOT AROUND, HOW CAN YOU COME UP WITH A DIALOGUE? SIMPLE AS THAT.
>> TRUDEAU SAID THIS MORNING THAT DEMONSTRATIONS GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY COULD BE (inaudible) FOR RECONCILIATION. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?
>> IN YOUR CONSTITUTION, IT SAYS THAT THE ROYAL PROCLAMATION IS THE FOUNDING DOCUMENT, AND A BIG ISSUE NOT BEING NOTICED OR NOT BEING TALKED ABOUT OR ASKED ABOUT IS WHY ARE THE RCMP IN TERRITORY THAT CANADA DOESN'T HAVE A TREATY WITH? THEY'RE INVADING TERRITORIES THAT ARE NOT UNDER THE DOMINION OF CANADA. YOUR PRIME MINISTER HAS COMMITTED A CRIME, AND THE WHOLE ROOM NEEDS TO BE LOUD ABOUT IT. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY MORE TO SAY ON THAT ONE.
>> NO MORE QUESTIONS.
>> HE'S DONE. HE HAS A STATEMENT TO MAKE.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE WORDS THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THE TALKS OR THE DIALOGUE IS ONE-SIDED, AND THE ONE-SIDEDNESS STARTED EVER SINCE CONFEDERATION. ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON TODAY HAVE BEEN ONE-SIDED. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONSULTATION PROCESS AND THE CONSULTATION PROCESS IS SET UP BY GOVERNMENTS, WITH NO INCLUSION OF THE ABORIGINAL VOICE INSIDE THERE. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING AND IT WAS ALL ONE-SIDED, THEY HAD A PREDETERMINED WHEN YOU GO ACROSS THE ROCKIES, WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING TREATIES, IT'S ONE-SIDED. WE WERE SENT IN PLACE WITH NEGOTIATIONS OF THE OUTCOME BEING 5% OF ITS LAND SELECTION MODEL. THEY HAD A PREDETERMINED OUTCOME ON IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES, YOU SEE THE ABORIGINAL FOOTPRINT IN THE ABORIGINAL PROCESS. AGAIN, LOPSIDED. YOU DON'T SEE THE ABORIGINAL VOICE IN THERE. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE'VE GOT IN CANADA AND YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND THE ABORIGINAL VOICE IN THERE. SO WHEN PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU IS TALKING ABOUT A LOPSIDED DIALOGUE, ONE-SIDED, HE BETTER TAKE A LOOK AT THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN TREATING THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLE EVER SINCE CONFEDERATION. THANK YO
>> THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE SET UP ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS AND WE WILL TAKE THOSE IN A MOMENT THANK YOU,