Canadians divided over support for Wet’suwet’en protesters: poll

Credit to Author: Tiffany Crawford| Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 02:40:27 +0000

Canadians are divided over the protests against a $6.6-billion natural gas pipeline project in northern B.C., according to a poll.

The Angus Reid Institute poll found two in five Canadians, or 39 per cent, support the demonstrators who back Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs opposed to the pipeline routing in their traditional territory, while 48 per cent oppose their actions.

Overall, half of Canadians (51 per cent) say they support the Coastal Gasoline project, according to the poll.

Those who support the protesters tend to be younger women, the poll suggests, as well as those with lower incomes and those on the political left.

Supporters of the protesters are also most likely to come from B.C. and Quebec.

In B.C. respondents are almost evenly split inter view of the protests, with 46 per cent of respondents supporting the protesters, compared with 49 per cent who oppose. The rest were unsure.

Angus Reid says before weighing in on the pipeline project, respondents were informed that it has received approval from the B.C. government, and that 20 First Nations band councils support the project.

The pollster also explained that part of the pipeline route crosses the Wet’suwet’en First Nation’s traditional territory, and eight Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs oppose it.

Other findings of note include that 57 per cent of respondents say the project will take longer because of the protests, but will probably still be completed, while 34 per cent believe it will go ahead regardless.

The surveyor 1,508 Canadians was conducted from Feb. 10 to Feb. 12. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, for the national figure.

ticrawford@postmedia.com

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