The Wet'suwet'en have agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding reached by the First Nation's hereditary chiefs, province and federal government in February.
The MOU was the result of negotiations aimed at ending a blockade near Houston, B.C. that had disrupted work on the 670-kilometre, $6.6 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline and prompted railway blockades across the province in solidarity.
"We welcome the confirmation that the Wet'suwet'en clans have completed their review of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) we reached together on Feb. 29, 2020, to affirm and implement Wet'suwet'en title and rights, and have given their support to sign it, " a joint statement issued by the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Scott Fraser and federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett said. "We look forward to advancing this important work to implement Wet'suwet'en rights and title as three equal governments."
The three parties are working on how to sign the MOU, given the current COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures in place.
"The Wet'suwet'en have invited Minister Fraser and Minister Bennett to sign the MOU on May 14, 2020. This time allows all three governments to organize a virtual meeting to sign," the statement said. "There is a great deal of work ahead of us in the negotiation process agreed to in the MOU, to lay out how we will implement rights and title and how our three governments will work together into the future. As negotiations proceed on the affirmation and implementation of Wet'suwet'en rights and title, we will move forward with transparency and openness, and will be further engaging with Wet'suwet'en house groups, neighbouring nations, local governments, stakeholders and the public."
