The Ontario Provincial Police is preparing to end a demonstration by Mohawks of Tyendinaga that has led to the shut down of CN rail tracks through one of Canada’s busiest rail corridors. 

The demonstration began in response to RCMP enforcing a court injunction in B.C. on Wet’suwet’en camps built to block access to workers constructing the Coastal GasLink pipeline. 

Two OPP liaison officers delivered the message to the Mohawk demonstrators at about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday. The liaisons said the situation was now “dire,” that the OPP was investigating the demonstration as an unlawful protest and that police would enforce a court injunction prohibiting continued interference with railway operations. 

The demonstrators who met the liaisons said they would take the message back to the rest of the people. 

Via Rail said it’s had to cancel 157 scheduled trips on the Toronto to Montreal corridor as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, forcing at least 24,500 passengers to change their travel plans.

CN said the rail shut down is impacting shipments ranging from propane to feedstock for factories. The rail company said the demonstration has disrupted the only rail link between eastern and western Canada and the U.S. Midwest.

The Mohawk demonstrators have not put any obstructions on the railway tracks, but are set up near the rails, about 240 km west of Ottawa. The tracks run just outside the reserve boundary of Tyendinaga, but are within its claimed territory.

The Mohawks have said they wouldn’t leave their position beside the tracks until the RCMP have left Wet’suwet’en territory. The RCMP has concluded their operations to dismantle the camps, but remain to ensure compliance with the injunction. 

This was the second time Tuesday police liaison officers visited the demonstrators.  

Meeting at the tracks

Earlier in the day, three OPP liaisons, wearing civilian clothes, stood across a fold-up table set up on the rail tracks by the demonstrators. The impromptu meeting followed an appearance by an Ontario Superior Court enforcement officer who was escorted by the OPP to read out the court injunction.

“You can’t come here on our land and evict us off our land. You don’t have the authority to do that,” said Kanenhariyo, whose English name is Seth LeFort.

In Tyendinaga, the camp has grown over the past two days, with two new canvas tents pitched Monday evening and a steady flow through of community members stopping by to express support or drop off supplies.

Kanenhariyo, who said he was not a spokesperson or a leader, only a community member, told the three OPP liaison officers that the decision to escort the court officer to read out the injunction and then attach it to one of the rail level crossings simply inflamed the situation. 

On the table was a two-row wampum belt that symbolizes the original agreement, dating back to the 17th century, between the Haudenosaunee and Dutch colonists. The two-row wampum represents a river and the parallel lines represent the paths of each party’s vessel. It emphasizes a mutual engagement to coexist in peace without interference in the affairs of the other.

Kanenhariyo said the resolution to the ongoing situation would require talks in the spirit of the original agreement. 

“There’s agreements, and there is a process and protocol,” he said. 

OPP Sgt. Diana Hampson, the lead liaison officer, said the Mohawks had made their point and that they were heard. 

“I know I would really like to go home and I wonder if you guys would maybe like to go home too, to your families,” said Hampson. 

“We are home,” said one woman, standing next to Kanenhariyo.

“We are on our front lawn.”

The OPP liaison team also brought a gift of maple syrup. 

“I don’t know that we are in a place to have gifts at the moment,” said Kanenhariyo.

 “You did kind of come here to threaten us.” 

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