In addition to threats and harassment by commercial fishers, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has allegedly seized traps belonging to Get breaking news, weather and traffic stories in your inbox 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. In the letter to Norton, CERD chair Yanduan Li referred to several allegations listed in the formal submission on behalf of the Sipeknekatik fishers. DFO viewed harassment against the Mikmaq as a problem for the RCMP. The commissioner has to resign. We need the military to come step in to keep the peace.. In one incident, a van owned by an Indigenous fisher was torched. closed in 2021. -- On Oct. 13, Mikmaw fisher Jason Marr brought his catch to a lobster pound in Middle West Pubnico and a mob of commercial fishers formed outside. The reason we are doing this is in solidarity, said the marchs organizer Lisa Cadue. I do acknowledge that there are concerns within Indigenous communities. The two incidents took place in New Edinburgh, N.S., and Middle West Pubnico, N.S. They Conservation underpins everything we do. Lobster stocks are healthy, (the Department of Fisheries and Oceans) will continue to monitor stocks and well never move forward with a plan that threatens the health of this species, she said. Be the first to know! A 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision that ruled East Coast Indigenous groups have the right to fish for a moderate livelihood., #MikmaqRights #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/f56J3QBDNU, Trevor Nault (@trevor_nault) October 24, 2020. The inaction from the RCMP is disheartening when they have a role to protect Canadians. We condemn the acts of violence in Nova Scotia. Mikmaw fishers were subjected to harassment in St. Marys Bay and on the wharves in Weymouth and Saulnierville. Non-Indigenous commercial fishers operate with 375 to 400 traps during the season, while these licensed moderate livelihood commercial Indigenous fishers use a mere 50 traps. We have taken steps necessary to ensure they have adequate resources to do the job, he said. Were here because our country operated for centuries without considering First Nations rights. Please confirm the information below before signing up. Non-native fishermen used to their boats to create a menacing flotilla on the water to stop Mikmaw people from enjoying their treaty rights to fish, Rogers Media uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. On March 26, 2021, 43 Mi'kmaw lobster fishers from the Sipekne'katik First Nation filed a statement of claim against the attorney general of Canada, the RCMP, the DFO, and 29 non-Indigenous fishers including the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association (BFIFA). Send me alerts, event notifications and special deals or information from our carefully screened partners that may be of interest to me. The acts of violence we have seen in the past days and weeks are disgusting, unacceptable, and racist in nature, Miller said at a press conference in Ottawa Monday with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett. Premier Stephen McNeil called on the federal government to, for not protecting Mikmaw fishers and failing to defuse tensions that have been growing for weeks. A 1999 Supreme Court ruling, known as the Marshall decision, affirmed the Mikmaq treaty rights to fish for a moderate livelihood.. Please contact us. Musqueam chief supports rights of Mikmaq fishers, condemns feds for ongoing failure in Nova Scotia, Minister: Cops failing Indigenous in Canada lobster dispute, For Mikmaq fishers, dreams of a peaceful harvest on N.S. the RCMP has done little to protect the rights of Indigenous people who are practising their treaty rights. He called on the Liberal government to send a clear message to Mounties that they must do so. A A. ADAM BOND. 2440 Ash St. Vancouver, BC V5Z 4J6 1996-2021 Rogers Media. Yet, Mikmaw people did not have much time to celebrate the win, as Mikmaw fishers in Esgenoopetitj (formerly Burnt Church First Nation) were targeted for racialized violence by non-native fishermen, like what we are seeing this week in Nova Scotia. But the public safety minister dismissed Sacks call for the military to be deployed to keep commercial fishers from taking the law into their own hands. The Sipeknekatik First Nation chief told The Canadian Press the fire over the weekend was retaliation from commercial fishers. Approximately a dozen people came out in the wind and rain to sing, drum and to walk from the park, down Princess Street to Ontario Street. {* legalAcceptanceAcceptButton *}, {* backButton *} On Wednesday, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki defended the conduct of RCMP in Nova Scotia, prompting Dumas to call for her resignation. The Indigenous fishers have had traps removed from the water, a fishing boat and a van have been burned, and on Saturday, fire destroyed a lobster pound that stored the catch of Mikmaw fishers. The four Liberal ministers have joined an NDP request for House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota to grant an emergency debate on the escalating issue. It is the responsibility of the police of jurisdiction, and in this case the responsibility of the RCMP. They have recognized rights and in my view, theyre just trying to live their lives and to be able to provide a moderate living for themselves and their families, he says. Before we can look at our provincial regulations for fish buyers, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans needs to answer the question of what constitutes legal harvesting under a moderate livelihood fishery. On the water, commercial fishers fired flares at Sipeknekatik fishers, blockaded their vessels, and removed hundreds of traps from St. Marys Bay, Nova Scotia, home to some of the most lucrative lobster fishing in Atlantic Canada. MIDDLE WEST PUBNICO, N.S. We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. , Theyre doing whatever they want and getting away with it, he said. 3/4. We must also recognize that once again, as evidenced by the scenes of violence, Indigenous people have been let down by the police, those who are sworn to protect them.. Send me promotions, surveys and info from NEWS 1130 and other Rogers brands. 2021 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. People are outraged by this and I think that theyre looking to lend their support in any way they can whether it be with warm bodies at a rally, or monetary contributions, or political advocacy., Indigenous fishers in Nova Scotia are conducting a fishery outside of the federally regulated season, asserting a treaty right to a self-regulated Indigenous fishery in the province. NDP MP Charlie Angus told reporters Monday the RCMP has done little to protect the rights of Indigenous people who are practising their treaty rights. He called on the Liberal government to send a clear message to Mounties that they must do so. RCMP, commercial fishermen and First Nations fishermen congregate at a blockade outside a New Edinburgh lobster pound earlier this week. A flotilla of fishers previously chased and blockaded the Mikmaw fishing vessels, fired a flare at them and seized or damaged lobster traps. But the Mi'kmaw say they are exercising their treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood from fishing, a right affirmed by a 1999 Supreme Court ruling. And clearly that has not been the case up to now.. The prime minister says Ottawa is extremely active in trying to de-escalate the issue that non-Indigenous fishers have with Mikmaw fishing rights that has rocked wharfs in southwestern Nova Scotia for the last month, responding to criticism that police havent done enough to protect Mikmaw fishers and a chiefs call for him to step in after protests turned violent this week. Indigenous people have been let down by the police, those who are sworn to protect them, Miller said. The public safety minister said additional RCMP officers have been deployed to the area at the request of the provincial government, with the N.S. - Tina Comeau . Hundreds of non-Indigenous Sack told CBC News his band has 550 traps in our water., Miller said Monday that the Indigenous fisheries industry is an infinitely small portion of commercial fisheries.The picture or portrait thats being painted is one of Indigenous fishers taking all the lobsters, he said. chief told The Canadian Press the fire over the weekend was retaliation from commercial fishers. Theyre doing whatever they want and getting away with it, he said. Indigenous peoples have suffered continuous discrimination from the consequences of colonial practices, Miller said, but have shown extreme resilience and courage by standing up for their rights. RCMP now able to draw resources from other provinces in the so-called Atlantic bubble. pic.twitter.com/3K3oZYAuVH. What I can say absolutely is that the police have a responsibility to protect all Canadians and certainly to acknowledge, recognize and uphold Indigenous rights, Blair said. Certain site features have been disabled. Earlier this week, Lucki defended the actions of RCMP officers in Nova Scotia after Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said they had failed to properly protect Indigenous people there. The call for RCMP Commissioner Brenda Luckis resignation comes as the RCMP continues to face heavy criticism for its response in Nova Scotia. says the RCMP let down Indigenous peoples facing violence amid an intensifying dispute between commercial fishers and Mikmaw fishers in southwest Nova Scotia. That is absolutely not the case.. DFO will work with the RCMP to ensure peaceful and orderly fisheries. RCMP have charged two individuals accused of burning the van and assaulting the chief respectively. In order to move forward, we need to have a proper peaceful situation and the protection of people on both sides has to prevail. Over the weekend, a man was charged with assaulting Chief Mike Sack of Sipeknekatik First Nation. This publication and others have written about the shocking acts of violence and intimidation toward Mi'kmaw lobster fishers in Nova Scotia following the inauguration of a fishery in St. Mary's Bay by the Sipekne'katik First Nation in September 2020. We request an emergency debate to allow parliamentarians the opportunity to discuss & address implementing the Mikmaq Treaty Right. The inaction from the federal government, their inability to connect with Indigenous people about implementing their rights, and to have that partnership with them, that relationship with them is key. If you have questions or concerns, Blair said RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is confident she has the resources needed to keep the peace on the ground and uphold the law. I think Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people allies are seeing the injustices. Jordan, the fisheries minister, also reiterated to reporters Monday the Mikmaq have a constitutionally affirmed treaty right that is not up for debate. please check our. I think its important to acknowledge there is a need for significant reform in respect to how police perform their services in Indigenous communities., The federal government is working on a legislative framework to ensure police are responsive and respectful of Indigenous communities and their rights, he said. The acts of violence we have seen in the past days and weeks are disgusting, unacceptable, and racist in nature, Miller said at a press conference in Ottawa Monday with Public Safety Minister, , and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister, Miller was referencing incidents of violence that erupted last week, including, a fire that destroyed a lobster pound Saturday, in Middle West Pubnico, N.S.. Destroying or tampering someone elses fishing gear is considered vandalism and should be reported to the RCMP, went a proposed media response. And right now we have a chance to change that for the benefit of every single one of us.. Given months of civil unrest and multiple issues relating to the safety of First Nations people Chief Mike Sack of Sipeknekatik First Nation. What is happening to the Mikmaq is certainly wrong, Tom says. The blaze, which the RCMP deemed suspicious, happened days after clashes. The RCMP have let down Mikmaw fishers facing violence in Nova Scotia: minister The RCMP in Nova Scotia have failed to properly protect Mikmaw fishers who are exercising their inherent rights to fish lobster Canadas Indigenous services minister said Monday. All rights reserved. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. 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