Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long (Image: Danielle McCreadie)
A New Brunswick MP is requesting the federal government step in to end blockades across the country.
Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long said he was devastated to hear of the suspension of Via Rail train service and the shutdown of operations in Eastern Canada from CN Rail.
“These blockades were meant to cause chaos, they were meant to draw attention to the cause, but again, but when they’re having a collateral effect on residents of Saint John-Rothesay, and workers of Saint John-Rothesay, I’m going to stand up and I’m going to speak out,” he said.
Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs are opposing a decision made to allow construction to the Coastal GasLink pipeline on their territory. Other communities across Canada have been protesting in solidarity as well as drawing attention to indigenous rights such as safe drinking water on reservations.
“That’s not legal, you’re not allowed to stand and impede the free flow of good, traffic, cars, what have you,” said Long.
Long said while peaceful protest is a right, reasonable limits should apply, and rule of law applies to everyone.
“We have a rule of law in Canada, that swings both ways. Those laws are there to protect indigenous people, they’re there to protect blue collar workers in my riding, they’re there to protect everybody.”
The rule of law is mentioned in the Constitution Act of 1982, which states that no one is above the law and the law should apply to everyone fairly.
Long said it should be a federal obligation to make sure traffic flows freely from coast to coast and he hopes that through dialogue and fair settlements, the blockades will be resolved.
“We are making progress, I think that the relationship is challenging, but I think the relationship is healthy and I believe we are moving in the right way. I believe that this hopefully is a temporary flare up that in the scheme of things is just a temporary flare up.”
