Consultation is not consent.

That was one of the messages of a group who rallied outside of Bannerman Park in St. John’s yesterday in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation in British Colombia.

Dr. Rachel Jekanowski was one of the organizers of yesterday’s rally.

She claims the United Nations and the Canadian Government have two different definitions of what consent is.

She notes that according to the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, they have the right to decide what projects take place on their own land.

According to Jekanowski, the Canadian government’s definition is much different. She claims they believe all they have to do is speak with the indigenous peoples who are affected, and that process of informing is sufficient without having to address any concerns. Jekanowski says this is a way to “rubber stamp” the project and get it approved.