Protest slows traffic on Highway 75

Traffic was slowed south of Morris Monday afternoon as over a dozen people staged a protest at the railway tracks across Highway 75 near the entrance to the community.

The railway blockade is the latest in a national movement of support for the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs in northern British Columbia and their protest of a planned natural-gas pipeline across their territory.

"This is important for all Native peoples because this is a breach of Canada and treaty rights," said Mashkode Bizhiki Kapitaatoong, a spokesperson for the protest group. He was referring to RCMP's recent enforcement of a court injunction that would start the process of construction of the Coastal GasLink project in northern B.C.

"(Government) didn't actually sign any treaties with B.C., the RCMP are invading that territory, and the reason we are doing this action is because we want the RCMP out of that territory."

"We want to let people know that this is in their backyard too. It's not just on the news. This affects all of us," he added.

Members of the protest group also handed out over 1,400 pieces of information regarding treaty rights to motorists and others in the community.

Meantime, Manitoba RCMP urge caution as motorists pass through the protest zone located on the southbound lanes of Highway 75. They say delays can be expected as traffic is down to one lane of traffic on the major route.