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RCMP cease patrols on Morice West Service Road

Withdrawal opens door for talks today between hereditary chiefs, province and federal gov
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The RCMP mobile office was closed Jan. 21 but patrols continued along Morice West Forest Service Road. (Trevor Hewitt photo)

The RCMP have ended their patrols of the Morice West Forest Service Road after reaching an agreement with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs.

In a Thursday release RCMP spokesperson, Dawn Roberts, stated they are satisfied with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief’s commitment to keeping the road open to the public during their talks with the provincial and federal governments.

The agreement was reached amid continuing protests and road and rail blockades across the country, including at the B.C. Legislature this week. The protests have been ongoing since early February in opposition to the Coastal GasLink, a 670-kilometre natural gas pipeline being built through Wet’suwet’en traditional lands.

Talks are expected to begin later today with the five hereditary chiefs and Canada’s Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and her provincial counterpart, B.C. Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser.

READ MORE: Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs to meet today with federal and B.C. governments

Members of the Wet’suwet’en Rangers will patrol the road during the talks and report to the RCMP on whether it remains clear of obstructions.

“The RCMP has confirmed that patrols along the Morice West Forest Service Road will cease during the period of discussions with the government representatives,” Roberts said. “The RCMP has agreed not to patrol the road unless there is an emergency call for service, such as a motor vehicle accident with injuries.”

Removing the RCMP presence from the service road was a key condition for the hereditary chiefs to enter talks with the provincial and federal governments over their opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

READ MORE: B.C. residents in Wet’suwet’en territory have right to police presence: Public Safety Minister

Once those talks begin and the hereditary chiefs are satisfied with the progress, it’s expected they will issue a request for supporters to remove all rail blockades in Canada erected in support of the chiefs.

The RCMP closed its mobile office on the road Feb. 21 and moved its officers to the nearby detachment in Houston, but kept up daily patrols of the service road.

B.C. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, Commanding Officer of the and A/Commr. Eric Stubbs, Criminal Operations Officer – CORE Policing have been directly involved in the discussions with the hereditary chiefs to end those patrols for the past week.