Northern reflections: Churchill expansion debated at U of M forum

The University of Manitoba hosted a forum on Friday where approximately 50 students, residents, and environmental advocates gathered to discuss Indigenous sovereignty and the future of northern Manitoba. The event was the final stop on the Arctic Crossroads Tour, an Indigenous-led public engagement campaign that highlighted the potential impacts of proposed major infrastructure projects on northern First Nation communities.

The tour had previously stopped in Churchill, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, and Brandon. Event host Clayton Thomas-Müller, a climate activist and member of Pukatawagan Cree Nation, expressed concerns that run counter to Premier Wab Kinew's assertion earlier this year that there is no Indigenous opposition to the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline to Churchill.

Thomas-Müller noted that many folks in Churchill are arm's-length away from government-funded agencies and are afraid to speak out due to their reliance on ecotourism industry funding streams.

Brief written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.