The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs has reaffirmed its long history of resolutions from the Chiefs Council opposing large scale "destructive resource projects" including Enbridge Northern Gateway and the proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline.
"This mandate has not changed, and the answer is still no," the Chiefs said in a joint statement this week.
Union president, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, said he and his colleagues "are very serious about the work we've done to date".
"We are simply not going to stand aside and let the gold rush overwhelm us. We remain acutely aware that we are in perilous times globally and need to be planning for the possibility of tariffs from President Trump. This does not mean building more pipelines, despite government deliberations and wildly speculative media- I do not support resuscitating dead projects such as the failed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would have been an absolute disaster for our lands and waters," he said.
"I want to take this opportunity to commend the thousands and thousands of good people across the country, led by First Nations in BC, who opposed the project. It remains an absolute honour and privilege to have marched in the streets and stood in the courthouse in opposition."
Union vice-president Chief Don Tom said the organisation will continue to advance implementation of First Nations' inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights, "as we always have and we always will".
"We remind both BC and Canada of their commitments through their respective legislation to uphold the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," he said.
"Any natural resource development that is being planned must have the consent of First Nations involved and must follow high environmental standards including not increasing our greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to global warming."
Chief Marilyn Slett, UBCIC Secretary-Treasurer, noted the long struggle of First Nations people to protect their land from environmental degradation.
"Our people were on the front lines and fought hard to successfully stop the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline," she said.
"The environmental risks to our territories were and are too great. Nothing has changed and we are not going to back down.
"The climate emergency does not recognise territorial boundaries, and emissions from a project in any one part of the province will have a broad impact. The last two years were the hottest on record and we must do everything in our power to stop the planet from warming more- this includes ensuring we do not support fossil fuel extraction and transmission through pipeline no matter what kind of threats Trump makes."
