As the Wet’suwet’en movement gains steam across Canada, railways are becoming the meeting spot for the blockades — and it’s not a coincidence.

“It’s very historically significant because the project of colonization, as well as the extinction of the buffalo, was facilitated by the laying down of the Trans Canada railway,” said Nikki Sanchez, a Pipil Maya Nation member who was part of the six day encampment at the B.C. legislature this week.

We asked Star readers who were impacted by the suspended services, which includes Via Rail, CN, and as of Saturday morning, trains leaving out of Macmillan Yard in Vaughan that connect to Hamilton, London, Sudbury, North Bay, British Columbia, New York, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Here’s what they had to say:

Hillary Predko, master’s student at Queen’s University

I am a Master’s student at Queen’s University but live in Toronto. I rely on Via Rail to commute to school using a rail pass. The blockade has been disruptive to my life and presents logistical challenges. However, I am appalled at the treatment of Wet’suwet’en land defenders and I think this blockade is an effective act of civil disobedience that is changing the conversation across Canada about Indigenous sovereignty. As a settler-Canadian, I am deeply ashamed to see the violence enacted in my name by the RCMP, and further ashamed to see that Indigenous people across the land have decided #reconciliationisdead.

Despite the inconvenience this blockade has caused, I stand with the protesters and I stand with Wet’suwet’en. I carpooled with colleagues to school this week and will have to figure out other alternative plans moving forward. I think people are blowing their personal inconvenience out of proportion and failing to consider the ongoing trauma that is caused by displacement and expropriation of lands.

Please don’t just run a story with people complaining about their cancellations. I know many people who also rely on Via Rail and support the blockade.

Jacqueline On, graduate student at Western University

I’m a graduate student at Western and booked a train home to Brampton for reading week. Reading the news left me momentarily panicking and scrambling for alternate arrangements. I have a disability that prevents me from getting my licence and rely heavily on transportation services in general to get around.

While the train cancellations are a significant inconvenience for me, I recognize that they are an effect of a much larger issue that has been going on for generations: tensions between the government and Indigenous people.

We had just talked about the protests in my social policy class and discussed whether or not it was an effective way to raise awareness. Historically, it seems like only large demonstrations that disrupt business as usual are the most effective at bringing about political change.

In addition to raising awareness about the Wet’suwet’en protests, I hope that the cancellations can also shed light on how limited Canada’s transportation infrastructure is in general. Via Rail gets a bad rap for being late all the time but it’s because they do not have their own rail tracks. Without Via Rail, the remaining transportation options for me to get home would be a bus to Toronto followed by a GO train or bus back to Brampton, a bus to Kitchener followed by a GO train or bus back to Brampton, a taxi or other ride share service, or a plane. All of these options cost financially and in time (at least a 4 hour trip by transit from London to Brampton).

I’ve managed to arrange a way home but others aren’t so lucky. I hope the situation can be resolved soon.

Rachelle Shubert from Stratford, Ontario

I have been affected by this last minute shutdown in that I must find alternative transportation between Stratford and Toronto, not that easy to do. While it is certainly an inconvenience, I do not resent the actions of the protestors who are acting responsibly and peacefully to assert their rights with the aim of resolving an impossible situation. I thank them for being guardians of the environment.

Jason Lediard

I’m sure you can just add my story to all the familiar ones. It’s reading week and my daughter was to come home today (Thursday) on the Via (Rail) from Ottawa. Thankfully I was reading the Star story on Twitter as I was getting ready for my morning shift (around 5 a.m., Wednesday) so I left a message for my wife, and when she woke up she easily purchased a ticket on the Greyhound bus. It was about $25 more, and I doubt it’ll be as relaxing, but at least she’ll be home only one day later than expected (by choice based on the new arrival time). Not a huge inconvenience, but I suspect that it came down to the timing of achieving a bus ticket before most people woke up. I understand what the issue is, and yes, this protest, here in Ontario does generate the awareness, but I’m not so sure that the intended effect will materialize — I think it will just end up annoying the general population.

Christine Demore, Toronto

I was travelling from Toronto to Ottawa and ended up having to change both tickets to Greyhound instead. Although inconvenient, I support the protest actions that have been sweeping Canada in support of Wet’suwet’en people and territory.

I am truly horrified to see the actions of RCMP against Wet’suwet’en people and their supporters over the last week especially. And as a settler Canadian, I want others to think about what Indigenous voices are saying to them when they take actions like the one we see on Tyendinaga instead of calling for more police or even military action against them.

Linda Chadwick

When the 401 went across the province there was a vast number of people, mostly farmers who had their land expropriated. Many were not pleased and lost valuable soil and income, not to mention the hardship of having farms separated by this highway and having to travel to an overpass with equipment to get to their field.

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I never saw protests by those hard working individuals neither did they shut down the construction of the highway. Perhaps the farmers should park equipment across the 401 demanding to take back their land.

It does no good to shut down the economy. Find peace and compromise in a more constructive manner.

Are you being impacted by temporary train suspensions? Share your thoughts at social@torstar.ca.

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