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This plays nicely into the stereotypes, but it is misleading.

In fact, there are hereditary chiefs who support the CGL natural-gas pipeline and the benefits it will bring to First Nations people. One of these is Helen Michelle, who is also an elected band councillor of the Skin Tyee band, a small First Nation that is a member of the larger Wet’suwet’en Nation.

She supports the pipeline development and rejects the notion that the hereditary chiefs are the only representatives of the Wet’suwet’en people.

In her capacity as an elected representative, she and the other band councillors negotiated an agreement with CGL after working carefully through the issues with the Skin Tyee band members and the hereditary chiefs.

In her words: “It was difficult for us, but we supported CGL. We discussed it thoroughly and we struggled with it. We agreed upon it for our future generations. No other chiefs speak for us or our territory. We speak for ourselves. We speak for our territory.”

That is the kind of political courage it takes to answer the second question.

Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES

CGL has awarded $620 million in contract work to Indigenous businesses for right-of-way clearing, first aid, security and camp management needs, with another $400 million anticipated in contract and employment opportunities for Indigenous and local B.C. communities during pipeline construction.

Some of these benefits are already flowing, including training and employment opportunities, contracting opportunities and financial payments to advance heritage, cultural and traditional language priorities deemed important by the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and Wet’suwet’en community leaders.