Wet'Suwet'en barricade. Supplied by Matthew Kagis on We Support the Unist'ot'en and the Wet'Suwet'en Grassroots Movement Facebook page.

Protests and blockades continue in support of the Wet’Suwet’en First Nation, trying to halt construction of Coastal GasLink’s proposed pipeline route in northern BC.

As the RCMP continue to make arrests, Nanaimo Green Party MP Paul Manly said all of this could have been dealt with differently.

“The situation in the Wet’Suwet’en territory was completely avoidable and the Wet’Suwet’en hereditary chiefs had proposed an alternate route for the pipeline that wouldn’t go through sensitive cultural and ecological areas,” said Manly.

He added, “The pipeline route goes right through the historic Kweese Trail, which is thousands of years old.”

Manly said the pipeline route goes through an area that is culturally significant to the Wet’suwet’en People.

“It has archeological sites and burial grounds, and has hunting, trapping, food gathering areas and a place where they do cultural training for their young people,” said Manly.

Manly said the actions at the senior levels of government go against commitments of reconciliation.