Defiant northern Chief galvanizes BC First Nations against Premier's LNG plans

22/04/14
Author: 
Mychaylo Prystupa

The actions of a young, tough-talking First Nations leader in northeast B.C. last week, that sparked the embarrassing reversal of a cabinet decision to fast-track natural gas plants, appears to be rallying province-wide Aboriginal opposition to Liquified Natural Gas plans. On April 16, 33-year-old Fort Nelson Chief Sharleen Gail held up an eagle feather at an LNG industry summit in her territory as she emotionally ordered B.C. government officials to exit the conference, to the sound of Dene drummers. “My elders said, you treat people kind, you treat people with respect… even when they are stabbing you in the back.  So I respectfully ask government to please remove yourselves from the room,” stated Gail at the time.