Following the recent protests all over Canada against the Coastal Gas Link running through Indigenous land, the Indigenous Student Association of UW held an event on campus on February the 27 to raise awareness as well as voice their opinion on this matter.
The event, named “Pressure Day”, welcomed more than a dozen UW students and alumni who came in to deliver their voice of protest.
The event itself consists of calling, mailing and email waterloo’s local Member of Parliament Bardish Chagger.
“Indigenous people are pushed into a corner where this is something we have to do and this is the response we have to take.” Turriff comments about the recent railway blockade protests happening across Canada.
Several tables of call stations and writing stations were set up for participants to use to contact the local M.P., Bardish Chagger.
Key information about the Coastal Gas Link crisis were provided to the participants to be better informed before they make any calls or write any letters or emails.
The organizers also put up a protocol and light guidelines to make sure that all communications were made appropriately and in a constructive manner “Anyone and everyone has the duty to see Indigenous justice happen” said Katie Turriff, the organizer of the event.
After a short debrief by Turriff, all tables were soon occupied by enthusiastic participants who all came out to show their support to the Indigenous people and to try to inform others to understand the current situation.
“There’s kind of a lot of misinformation around just in terms of why people are creating blockades and why people are defending their land… what that means and why it’s happening. So really I just want people to further educate themselves on what the actual rallies are…” Alumni participant Erin Houston said.
Participants and organizers of the event are hoping that the local M.P., Bardish Chagger, will take in their words and represent their voice and concerns in parliament.
