We, the Wet’suwet’en have inhabited and governed our Yintah – our lands and waters – according to our laws and traditions, since time immemorial. 

Our relationship to our Yintah through our governance system is ancient and profound.

Our inherent rights and title and our legal authority over these 22,000 square kilometres of lands and waters have never been ceded, surrendered, sold or relinquished in Treaty or in any other way.

As was proven in the Supreme Court of Canada ruling of December 11, 1997, in the historic Delgamuukw/Gisday’wa court case, our status as a Hereditary Nation has not been extinguished. 

Whereas

• The governments of Canada and British Columbia have utterly failed to honor their legislated commitments to uphold the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to implement BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act;
• The governments of Canada and British Columbia, without any established legal right, continue to licence unapproved industrial activity in our Yintah that threatens the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Wet’suwet’en people and others with whom we share our territory;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia continue to enforce their illegal occupation and destruction of our Yintah through violent means that contravene the Indigenous and human rights of Wet’suwet’en people and our neighbors and supporters, and directly damage our community wellbeing;
• The actions of the governments of Canada and British Columbia make a mockery of the  94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2018.

We, the Wet’suwet’en now come together in Peace and Unity with our fellow Indigenous peoples, leaders, supporters of all walks of life and professions to demand:

• That our Wet’suwet’en Hereditary governance system be formally and universally recognized as comprising the Indigenous governing body for the entirety of the 22,000 square kilometres of Wet’suwet’en Territory;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia confirm our legal Interest in our Yintah and immediately commit to a Wet’suwet’en led process to transition management of our lands and waters to our Wet’suwet’en governing body;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia immediately cease all acts of violence directed at the Wet’suwet’en and our supporters carried out by the RCMP and industry security services; drop all legal actions against Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their supporters; and commit to a process of restorative justice in our territory focused on the safety and wellbeing of our people and others who share our territory;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia cease supporting industries and developments that are detrimental to the lands and authorities of the Wet’suwet’en;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia immediately commit to a Wet’suwet’en led process to identify and support economic activities in our Yintah that ensure food and economic security for our people and our neighbors;
• That the governments of Canada and British Columbia commit to an independent review of its actions in our Territory with respect to the satisfaction, or otherwise, of their obligation to uphold the tenets of UNDRIP, DRIPA, and the TRC.