Canadian transport minister Marc Garneau, a member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, has admitted far-left protesters aligned with a counter-pipeline group have been actively sabotaging railway infrastructure.
Minister Garneau appeared on public broadcaster CBC on Monday to discuss the ongoing crisis which has crippled the Canadian rail system in large parts of the country and confirmed that aspects of the rail system were being tampered with.
“There have also been instances of tampering on the railways… One that concerns me is disabling the signalling that occurs at a road crossing… We accept peaceful protests and demonstrations in this country that are peaceful and lawful, but it is concerning if people aren’t respecting the fact that they injure themselves and other people,” he said.
Garneau also put out a press release warning those who would look to sabotage the rail lines saying: “Finally, I also want to remind Canadians that tampering with rail lines, rail cars or signalling systems is illegal and extremely dangerous. In addition to putting yourself at risk, you are endangering railway workers and train passengers, as well [the] communities around them.”
The two statements largely confirm blog posts made by Antifa far-left extremists on the blog “Northshore Counter-Info” which have both called for and taken credit for several instances of railway sabotage in recent weeks, claiming to be in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
The anti-pipeline blockades, which are said to be in support of the hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en, while the elected council support the pipeline, have crippled Canada’s rail network, with CN Rail cancelling all trains in the east of the country last week.
Via Rail, which cancelled nearly all passenger trains last week, said on Tuesday that they would resume select trains from Ottawa and Quebec City by February 20th.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, is under pressure to end the blockades but told the Canadian house of commons that the solution will “not be simple”.
Trudeau also organised a meeting with opposition party leaders to discuss the crisis on Tuesday but declined to invite Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer who had previously laid the blame for the crisis on far-left activists.
Scheer reacted to Trudeau’s statement on the crisis saying: “The prime minister’s statement was a complete abdication of responsibility and leadership.”
“The prime minister has emboldened and encouraged this kind of behaviour,” he added. The far-left climate activist protesters also saw a new ally emerge on Tuesday when climate-kid Greta Thunberg tweeted out her support for the protests saying: “Support the Wet’suwet’en Nation and the pipeline protests happening now in Canada!”