Quebec activists maintain rail blockades despite tentative deal in B.C.

MONTREAL — Protesters in two regions of Quebec are maintaining their rail blockades for the time being in spite of a draft deal reached Sunday in British Columbia between Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and senior government ministers.

Kenneth Deer, the secretary of the Mohawk Nation at Kahnawake, says the community will meet later today to discuss whether to dismantle the blockade they’ve maintained on their territory south of Montreal since Feb. 8.

Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and senior government ministers reached a proposed arrangement Sunday following days of discussions over a pipeline dispute that prompted solidarity protests and transport disruptions across Canada in recent weeks.

But details of the draft deal have not been disclosed, and Deer says the Mohawks want more clarification on the agreement before making a final decision.

Meanwhile, the president of a regional rail line Quebec’s Gaspe region says activists were still maintaining their blockade in the Mi’kmaq community of Listuguj as of 9 a.m. today.

Eric Dube said the company was able to get two trains through the blockade area on Friday but had to stop the following day due to the presence of protesters near the tracks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2020.

The Canadian Press