Protests in support of Wet’suwet’en planned as poll finds dissatisfaction with PM’s handling of crisis

By Monika Gul, Hana Mae Nassar, and The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Despite a proposed deal between Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and the provincial and federal governments, another protest in support of the chiefs and their cause is set for Wednesday.

Planned demonstrations come as a second poll in a week found most Canadians are not happy with the way the prime minister has been dealing with the situation.

Sixty-one-per-cent of respondents said they’re dissatisfied with the way Justin Trudeau has handled recent protests and blockades, which have disrupted businesses and, at times, daily life for many people across the country.

The numbers from Leger Marketing also suggest most Canadians blame the federal government for the crisis that erupted after Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs were arrested in B.C. while trying to block the Coastal GasLink pipeline project in early February — even though the project was approved by the province.

A majority of respondents — 57 per cent — said they believe Indigenous land claims are valid and there was overwhelming support for the federal government to actively resolve them. Those surveyed also called for the government to consult with Indigenous groups on development projects.

But when it comes to whether Indigenous Peoples should have a veto on major developments on their lands, the Leger survey suggests opinion is more divided. It found 42 per cent of respondents agreed, while 41 per cent said they should not have veto power.

The poll came just days after a tentative agreement was announced over the weekend, but the agreement is one that deals with land and title rights, and not specifically the natural gas pipeline dispute in northern B.C. that sparked the disruptive protests.

Related video: Government reaches tentative deal with Wet’suwet’en chiefs

On Wednesday, university students across the country, including at UBC and Langara, are staging a walkout for Wet’suwet’en. They are demanding the RCMP and Coastal GasLink pull out from Wet’suwet’en territory immediately.

A previous poll conducted by Angus Reid found Canadians were split when it comes to how to handle the situation. Nearly half of respondents said patience and dialogue with those who oppose the natural gas pipeline in B.C. was the best way to resolution, while the other half said blockades should be brought down using whatever force necessary.

That survey, too, found that no matter what side Canadians were on, most people believe Trudeau has not handled the crisis well.

-With files from Amanda Wawryk

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