RCMP reply to Stikine MLA's concerns notes of enforcement of injunction related to CN Rail infrastructure

Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen has received a reply to his correspondence of last week to RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, the national policing agency's top official providing a short overview of the actions in question from November. 

The MLA's letter to the Commissioner  noted as one from a resident and MLA for Stikine which relayed his concerns over a disturbing video he had viewed as part of an RCMP enforcement action, with Mr. Cullen expressing his view of the 'undue force' that was used.

The reply from the Commissioner came in on December 8th, which provided some background in general terms  towards the incident specified by the MLA.

In her correspondence Commissioner Lucki notes that the arrests were in relation to a civil injunction pertaining to CN rail property, noting of the RCMP's preference to use considerable efforts to avoid active enforcement an instead work towards peacefully resolving the conflict through engagement and negotiations. 

Adding however that isn't always possible and in some cases police forces if required will use as much force as necessary to resolve the matter.

A reply for MLA Nathan Cullen from RCMP Commissioner 
Brenda Lucki was received this week
(click to enlarge)

The letter was posted to the MLA's Social media feed on Thursday and has generated some significant commentary so far in the short period of time that it has been made available. 

Mr. Cullen also noted that he will be forwarding the letter to those Wet'suwet'en and Gitxsan Chiefs, and others who have raised concerns with him over that enforcement action. 

Not mentioned in the MLA's social media notes, is if the ongoing dispute with some of the First Nation leaders in the New Hazelton area have been resolved. 

In November, the MLA was 'evicted' from his New Hazelton office by some of the members, so far there is no indication that the 'eviction' has been reversed.

With the Legislature having gone on hiatus for the winter, the MLA has not had an opportunity to share his concerns in the House Chamber in Victoria and for the most part his correspondence has not been noted by many in the Opposition Liberals, that party currently focused on its leadership campaign.

However, some of the media that covers the provincial scene have picked up on the current of the Cullen Correspondence, with the Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer providing for the most in-depth review of events and the work of the MLA.

In a very thorough examination of events to date, the Sun's top political correspondent and one of the Deans of Legislature coverage outlines the long running involvement of Mr. Cullen in the issues of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project and the situation in the Wet'suwet'en, both prior to and following his election as MLA for the region.

The last line of the column providing for the main thrust from the journalist as to how the Stikine and NDP MLA have handled the situation to date.

"Whether Cullen admitted it or not, he was writing as a member of a government that is trying to evade its responsibility for the messy standoff in Wet’suwet’en territory."

Well worth a read, the column from December 6th can be reviewed here.

More notes on the work of the Stikine MLA can be found from our archive page here.

A wider overview of Provincial issues is available through our political blog D'Arcy McGee.