What is happening?
"On the 21st anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada's Marshall decision, the Sipeken’katik First Nation made it clear to the federal government that it is tired of waiting," SaltWire's Tina Comeau wrote Sept. 17, 2020, as Mik'maw fishing boats headed out on St. Mary's Bay.
Two days earlier, she had covered a protest by non-Indigenous fishermen on the same Digby County wharf.
Celebrations, protests, talks and acts of violence, along with national and international attention on Nova Scotia's coastal communities followed.
In the last week of November, Sipekne'katik First Nation received a draft fishery memorandum of understanding from federal government for review.
Dec. 10, 2020, Chief Mike Sack of the Sipeken'katik First Nation said talks with DFO had broken off.
Later in February, the chief of Potlotek First Nation also filed notice of intent to sue the province.
Must read
Here's a look at how tensions have built over the past 12 months
In addition to SaltWire journalists' work this fall, our staff members have been reporting on the issues for years from the wharves and offices of Atlantic Canada.
On covering the lobster controversy: the story behind the story
Where we are reporting from?
Background reading
- 1999 Marshall decision,
- Supreme Court’s clarification two months later
- House of Commons standing committee on fisheries and oceans' report, issued in 2000
- Peace and Friendship Treaties