Coastal First Nations Condemn Fulmer for Alleged Disinformation Campaign

A clash has erupted between Coastal First Nations and B.C. Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer over characterizations of the Indigenous alliance, highlighting tensions between development interests and First Nations governance in British Columbia.

Marilyn Slett, President of Coastal First Nations and Chief of the Heiltsuk Nation, has strongly condemned Fulmer’s recent statements that described the alliance as “just an advocacy organization” funded by “left-wing American and international foundations.”

“We’re a coalition, an alliance of communities that have very ancient and old relations amongst each other, that ties us together,” Slett told reporters on Tuesday. The organization represents nine First Nations communities across British Columbia’s north coast region.

The dispute began when Fulmer released a video criticizing what he characterized as foreign influence in provincial politics. The video juxtaposed images of Canadian flag-burning and pro-Palestinian protests with speeches by Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, elected president of the Haida Nation and a Coastal First Nations board member.

“Time and again, we keep hearing that Coastal First Nations are opposed to any pipeline and will stop any development,” Fulmer stated in the video. “But here is the thing: the Coastal First Nations is just a name, like Coke or Nike.”

Fulmer’s assertions claimed the group operates officially as the “Great Bear Initiative Society” and receives substantial funding from international sources to advance what he described as a political agenda.

The Coastal First Nations, a registered non-profit, acknowledges receiving some foreign donations but emphasized that its governance structure places decision-making power with elected and hereditary leaders from its member nations.

“There is no funder, whether it’s government, philanthropic, or corporate, that directs our position or activity,” Slett clarified. “CFN takes direction only from the leadership of its member nations.”

The organization also disputed Fulmer’s characterization of their stance on development. Rather than opposing all development and oil pipelines, they assert their advocacy specifically focuses on preventing heavy oil tanker traffic in their traditional waters—an issue that gained prominence with Alberta’s recent push for a new oil pipeline to the North Coast. The federal government implemented a tanker ban in these waters in 2019.

The dispute highlights broader tensions surrounding resource development in British Columbia, where First Nations assert their rights to protect traditional territories while political and business interests push for expanded resource extraction and export capacity.

Slett emphasized that mischaracterizations of Indigenous organizations have serious consequences. She reported experiencing online harassment through direct messages and emails, and noted attempts to doxx people working for the organization.

In an ironic twist, Fulmer’s own investment firm, Fulmer & Company—which operates nearly three dozen A&W franchises across western Canada—has previously donated to the Coastal First Nation’s Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Project. When questioned about this apparent contradiction, Fulmer defended his company’s contribution.

“As a company, we believe in conservation,” he said. “We are a British Columbian company, not a foreign company, and we invested in a conservation project we believe in.”

When asked whether Coastal First Nations should be engaged on a government-to-government basis—noting that Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal officials recently met with the organization’s leaders—Fulmer redirected the conversation to his concerns about foreign funding, saying, “If our government takes money from foreign organizations, that should be disclosed too. It doesn’t matter.”

Slett and the Coastal First Nations have called for an apology from Fulmer, warning about the divisive impact of his statements.

“Spreading this type of disinformation sows division between First Nations and other British Columbians and serves to further inflame existing tensions,” Slett stated. “In a time of heightened political conflict across the continent, this is irresponsible and dangerous and could result in real harm to our communities.”

The dispute occurs against a backdrop of increasing recognition of Indigenous rights in Canadian resource development decisions, with court rulings consistently affirming the need for meaningful consultation with First Nations on projects affecting their traditional territories.