The Haida nation won a long fight proving that the islands off British Columbia, called Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai or “the islands at the boundary of the world,” belong to them. This historic victory means Canada’s federal and provincial governments must now respect the land belongs to the Haida. On Thursday, Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney and Alberta’s premier Danielle Smith shook hands on a major energy deal. It plans a huge oil pipeline carrying more than a million barrels daily from Alberta’s oil sands to the Pacific coast. This deal could speed up permits and approvals, a big win for Alberta. But the Haida nation quickly fired back. Gaagwiis, Haida’s president, made it clear: “This project is not going to happen.” He told the government it must “uphold the honour of the crown” and not push through this risky pipeline. Gaagwiis said, "Because there’s absolutely nothing that can fully guarantee the safety of our communities from an oil spill, there’s nothing that can be said to convince us otherwise.” The Haida aren’t alone. Marilyn Slett, who leads Coastal First Nations, supports the refusal. She said, “We have zero interest in co-ownership or economic benefits of a project that has the potential to destroy our way of life and everything we have built on the coast.” This pipeline deal, praised in Alberta and cheered by business groups, also promises First Nations in Alberta possible shares. But British Columbia’s premier David Eby slammed it, saying there is “No proponent, no route, no money, no First Nation support.” He warns the project will drain attention from better job and growth opportunities. Not everyone in Carney’s cabinet agreed. Steven Guilbeault, a well-known environmental defender, resigned just hours after the deal, sad but firm in his environmental values. Experts say Carney’s plan mixes promises to cut emissions by 2050 with big fossil fuel bets. Professor Jessica Green said, “Call a spade a spade: if you want to double down on fossil fuels, at least have the guts to say it out loud.” She called the deal a “dumpster fire” for the climate. Trade tensions with the US have shaken Canada’s economy, pushing Carney to look for new markets. But for the Haida and other coastal First Nations, this fight is bigger than politics or business. Gaagwiis explained, “An entire ecosystem could collapse in the event of a spill. Losing a culture that developed relationships with the ocean over thousands of years would be devastating.” He ended with a strong message: “There is no project, there’s no pipeline route, there’s no proponent – and there’s no support. Everyone here is against it. There are other ways for Alberta to find more business in moving oil. But it’s not going to be through the coast.”