Photo: Contributed

Kukpi7 Shelly Loring of Simpcw (left) and Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir of Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc.

Two Secwepemc Chiefs have issued a joint statement that calls on on the Tiny House Warriors to "stand down" and leave their protest camps in Blue River and Moonbeam Creek.

The group, an opponent of the Trans Mountain expansion project, seeks to stop its construction by building tiny houses along the pipeline's route. Protesters have been in Blue River since 2018.

"The occupation and often disrespectful conduct of the Tiny House Warriors constitutes an intrusion into Simpcwul'ecw and a threat to our People, and the public," reads the statement from Kukpi7 Shelly Loring of Simpcw and Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir of Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc (TteS).

The protest group has made headlines in the past for being disruptive, including toward those staying at the nearby Blue River Campground.

The statement explains that while the Secwepemc People are united by a common language and similar culture and belief system, each Secwepemc division is responsible for its territorial area within the larger Secwepemcúlecw. The Chiefs note the protest camps are located within Simpcw's divisional area.

They say Simpcw and Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc gave their "free, prior and informed consent" to Trans Mountain to build and operate the pipeline within their territory. 

"Through those agreements, Trans Mountain recognizes and respects Simpcw and the Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc role as yecwminment (caretakers) of their lands," the statement says.

"I share their concern for the safety of women and girls, but they won't talk to us about the work we're doing," says Loring in a news release. "For example, we currently have 19 women working at Trans Mountain. They report positive experiences — and no serious incidents."

In an interview with Castanet, Casimir says the TteS wouldn't have agreed to a mutual benefit agreement with Trans Mountain if many of their concerns hadn't been addressed. 

"A lot of our own community members work for Trans Mountain," she say, echoing Loring's comments.

She adds that everyone has a right to protest, but it must be done respectfully.

"As long as they're allowing the people to do their jobs and they're not hurting or hindering, they have every right to voice their opinions," Casimir says.

Castanet has reached out to Loring and is waiting to hear back. 

You can read the full statement below.

2020-07-02 Simpcw - TteS Joint Statement by Teresa Verenca on Scribd