In solidarity with our Wet’suwet’en relatives, the board of Friends of Kensington Market would like to express our support of indigenous land rights:
We declare our solidarity with Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island who are standing up for the Wet’suwet’en People.
We are deeply concerned about the arrests, pressure and trespassing presence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Wet’suwet’en sovereign territory. These unlawful actions violate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and Supreme Court of Canada rulings. Wet’suwet’en Clan Chiefs hold sole title to their unceded territory, as established by Delgamuukw vs British Columbia, and do not support the construction of the pipeline. These actions also run contrary to the spirit and conclusions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA People.
We also denounce the actions of the Ontario Provincial Police, who recently arrested Tyendiga Mohawks acting in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en, and provided police surveillance to CN rail without challenge and including personal information far outside of the scope of subpoenaed intelligence. OPP actions indicate a clear prioritization of industry interests over Indigenous rights.
We stand with the Wet’suwet’en and their allies who have made significant sacrifices on the front lines of this violation of their territory. We honour and respect their commitment to defending the wellbeing of the waters, lands, creatures, Peoples, and sovereignty of Wet’suwet’en.
We, as members of Friends of Kensington Market, are aware that we are a settler organization. Kensington Market sits in the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit (an Anishnaabe people), the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat and Petun Nations.
We love and cherish this territory, and we strive to live on it in accordance with the principles of the Dish With One Spoon wampum, and in recognition of all that we owe to Indigenous Peoples. Our work for the well-being of this territory must include accountability to our indigenous relatives.
We issue this statement as a part of that accountability, and we commit ourselves to work in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en People and Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island