As protests across the country continue to plague construction of Coastal GasLink害羞草研究所檚 pipeline through Wet害羞草研究所檚uwet害羞草研究所檈n territory, about 200 supporters of the project gathered in Houston Wednesday afternoon to hear from Indigenous leaders eager to see the pipeline completed.

The event, which hosted five speakers, was organized by The North Matters, a natural resource industry lobby group.

害羞草研究所淭he protesters get one side of the story, and they want to stand up with their fists in the air,害羞草研究所� Robert Skin, an elected councillor for the Skin Tyee Nation, which is part of the Wet害羞草研究所檚uwet害羞草研究所檈n Nation. 害羞草研究所淐ome and listen to us. Get both sides of the story before you go out and stop traffic and stop the rail line. All you害羞草研究所檙e doing is alienating people who are trying to put a roof over their children害羞草研究所檚 heads and food on their table.害羞草研究所�

Skin praised Coastal GasLink for its consultation with elders and leaders, saying the company went on numerous interpretive walks through the nation害羞草研究所檚 traditional territory to map out the best possible route for the pipeline. The 670-kilometre pipeline would carry natural gas to a planned LNG Canada export facility in Kitimat.

Nationwide protests and blockades of rail lines followed a move by RCMP to enforce a court injunction earlier this month against the hereditary chiefs and their supporters, who had been obstructing an access road to Coastal GasLink害羞草研究所檚 work site.

Four of the five hereditary chiefs flew to Ontario Wednesday to thank Mohawk supporters blocking key rail lines.

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Steve Simons, a spokesperson for The North Matters, said his group organized the Houston event because national attention has focused largely on opposition to the pipeline, while the voices of many Wet害羞草研究所檚uwet害羞草研究所檈n members who support the project have been drowned out by negative news coverage, fracturing communities down racial lines across the Northwest.

Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 gathering was billed as an event to bring the community together by allowing Indigenous members in support of the project the chance to share their perspectives in a safe environment, free from intimidation and fear of harm.

Skin commended Coastal GasLink for its ecological and cultural sensitivity and said his nation害羞草研究所檚 benefit agreement with the company is key to the prosperity of future generations. Some of the money has already been used for professional training among members, and Skin said more has been earmarked to help alleviate a housing crisis and allow more members to move back to their community.

害羞草研究所淚nstead of saying 害羞草研究所榥o害羞草研究所� to everybody all the time, now we can say 害羞草研究所榶es, we have the money for housing. Yes, we have the money for education害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所�

The North Matters organized the session over the long weekend, to which Simons said he was pleased at the number of people who came out, particularly because it took place in the afternoon.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 been a lot of bullying going on. And intimidation. Intimidation into silence,害羞草研究所� Simons said of what Wet害羞草研究所檚uwet害羞草研究所檈n supporters of the pipeline have faced through social media and other means.

害羞草研究所淲hat we wanted was a place where people could speak without fear of a backlash.害羞草研究所�

Simons, a mostly-retired Victoria resident and who offers courses and speaks on natural resource issues, Simons said he concentrates on trying to deescalate hard line 害羞草研究所榶es害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所榥o害羞草研究所� positions on resource development. He volunteered his time for the North Matters event.

害羞草研究所淲hat I try to do is reach out for solutions for common values,害羞草研究所� said Simons.

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Marion Tiljoe Shepherd, who owns a trucking company in Houston and is a member of the Wet害羞草研究所檚uwet害羞草研究所檈n Gilseyhu (Big Frog) clan, echoed those calls for solutions.

Her mother is a shareholder of a trap line near the pipeline route where police have twice raided protest camps.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been really hard for us,害羞草研究所� she said to the audience. 害羞草研究所淚 love my family, and my mom misses her family害羞草研究所� but because we live here in Houston, we害羞草研究所檙e ostracized just because we want to work. We害羞草研究所檙e from an industrial town and we害羞草研究所檝e always worked for industry. There害羞草研究所檚 two sides to every story.害羞草研究所�

While a staunch supporter of the industry, Tiljoe Shepherd told the crowd mistakes were made on all sides, including Coastal GasLink害羞草研究所檚 ineffective consultation with hereditary chiefs, and the chiefs害羞草研究所� failure to consult with their members. But she also lays a lot of blame on the protesters who mobilized around the hereditary chiefs without access to other points of view.

害羞草研究所淲ho do you think you are?害羞草研究所� she said of the protesters. 害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 ask you for help. I can speak for myself.

害羞草研究所淢y choice is my choice. My husband and I have a job. We want to work for Coastal GasLink; we want to work for the industry, and we have every right to.害羞草研究所�

- with files from Rod Link