WSFBA Letter to the Consulate w Signatories 2.10.2020
Attn: Yves Beaulieu
Consul, Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Service
Consulate General of Canada
580 California Street, Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94104
February 10, 2020
To the Consulate General of Canada,
We are writing on the fifth day of the RCMP invasion of Wet’suwet’en territory, to express our utter outrage and dismay at the horrific colonial violence being imposed against the Wet’suwet’en people and their hereditary leadership.
To see this happening in a country such as Canada, which has professed to be entering into “reconciliation” with Indigenous people, and a province such as British Columbia, which has professed to now be adhering to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, is atrocious. However, for those of us who are familiar with the colonial history of Canada, this is not surprising at all.
Our concern, most immediately, is for the safety of the land defenders – the Wet’suwet’en people and their supporters who are rightfully living on the lands. We demand that the Consulate use it’s channels to express this demand for the RCMP to immediately stand down and leave Wet’suwet’en territories.
Our additional concern is over the illegal injunction and occupation of the Wet’suwet’en territories by both industry and police. There is legal precedent that states that the Wet’suwet’en have title to their lands and thus Canada is in breach of this as well as the traditional law of the hereditary Wet’suwet’en leadership.
We demand that the government of Canada stop brazenly backing the corporations who are illegally invading Wet’suwet’en territories, respect the stated opposition by the five hereditary chiefs of the
Wet’suwet’en and respect their jurisdiction, as was affirmed by Canada’s highest court.
We ask that you follow through with your stated commitment of sharing this with those in positions of power within the Consulate and beyond.
Sincerely the Undersigned,
1000 Grandmothers for Future Generations
Anti Police-Terror Project
Annie Banks
Debbie Bayer
Richard Bell
Amanda Bloom
James Burch
Catalyst Project
Communist Workers League Bay Area
Confederated Villages of Lisjan
Don Cornejo
Stephanie Dodaro
El Cerrito Progressives Social/Racial Justice Committee
Extinction Rebellion SF Bay Area
forELK.org
global movement network
Corrina Gould
Idle No More SF Bay
Indian People Organizing for Change
Justice Teams Network
LAGAI-Queer Insurrection
Movement Rights
Dwight Ost
Peoples Alliance
Queers for Climate Justice
Nancy Roberts
San Francisco Food Not Bombs
Showing Up For Racial Justice San Francisco
Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Front Bay Area
Wisconsin!
