As protests across the country continue to plague construction of Coastal GasLink91裸聊视频檚 pipeline through Wet91裸聊视频檚uwet91裸聊视频檈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.

91裸聊视频淭he protesters get one side of the story, and they want to stand up with their fists in the air,91裸聊视频� Robert Skin, an elected councillor for the Skin Tyee Nation, which is part of the Wet91裸聊视频檚uwet91裸聊视频檈n Nation. 91裸聊视频淐ome and listen to us. Get both sides of the story before you go out and stop traffic and stop the rail line. All you91裸聊视频檙e doing is alienating people who are trying to put a roof over their children91裸聊视频檚 heads and food on their table.91裸聊视频�

Skin praised Coastal GasLink for its consultation with elders and leaders, saying the company went on numerous interpretive walks through the nation91裸聊视频檚 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 GasLink91裸聊视频檚 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 Wet91裸聊视频檚uwet91裸聊视频檈n members who support the project have been drowned out by negative news coverage, fracturing communities down racial lines across the Northwest.

Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 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 nation91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚nstead of saying 91裸聊视频榥o91裸聊视频� to everybody all the time, now we can say 91裸聊视频榶es, we have the money for housing. Yes, we have the money for education91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 been a lot of bullying going on. And intimidation. Intimidation into silence,91裸聊视频� Simons said of what Wet91裸聊视频檚uwet91裸聊视频檈n supporters of the pipeline have faced through social media and other means.

91裸聊视频淲hat we wanted was a place where people could speak without fear of a backlash.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频榶es91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频榥o91裸聊视频� positions on resource development. He volunteered his time for the North Matters event.

91裸聊视频淲hat I try to do is reach out for solutions for common values,91裸聊视频� said Simons.

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Marion Tiljoe Shepherd, who owns a trucking company in Houston and is a member of the Wet91裸聊视频檚uwet91裸聊视频檈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.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been really hard for us,91裸聊视频� she said to the audience. 91裸聊视频淚 love my family, and my mom misses her family91裸聊视频� but because we live here in Houston, we91裸聊视频檙e ostracized just because we want to work. We91裸聊视频檙e from an industrial town and we91裸聊视频檝e always worked for industry. There91裸聊视频檚 two sides to every story.91裸聊视频�

While a staunch supporter of the industry, Tiljoe Shepherd told the crowd mistakes were made on all sides, including Coastal GasLink91裸聊视频檚 ineffective consultation with hereditary chiefs, and the chiefs91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淲ho do you think you are?91裸聊视频� she said of the protesters. 91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 ask you for help. I can speak for myself.

91裸聊视频淢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.91裸聊视频�

- with files from Rod Link