The chiefs of the two First Nations on P.E.I. are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “take charge" of the escalating crisis over Indigenous fishing treaty rights.
In an open letter to Trudeau, Lennox Island First Nation Chief Darlene Bernard and Abegweit First Nation Chief Junior Gould call on the prime minister to defuse the tensions that has seen violence erupt in southwestern Nova Scotia fishing communities.
“Your leadership is required to ensure the rule of law is upheld for all," say the chiefs. “The time to act is now."
A fire that police are calling suspicious destroyed a lobster pound in Middle West Pubnico, N.S., early Saturday. The blaze capped a week of violence that included two other clashes involving hundreds of people outside lobster pounds that store Indigenous-caught lobster.
Chief Mike Sack of the Sipekne’katik First Nation said earlier this week the arm is needed to prevent commercial fishermen from taking the law into their own hands.
Bernard and Gould say ongoing delays and inaction are only escalating an already tense and volatile situation.
“There is a real need to intervene in the waters and on the shores to respect our moderate livelihood fishery, protect our communities and uphold the rule of law," says the two chiefs.
Sack argues Indigenous people in Atlantic Canada and Quebec have a treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood – a right upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Many non-Indigenous critics, however, cite a clarification issued by court, stating the Mi’kmaq treaty rights would be subject to federal regulations to ensure fish conservation.
Bernard and Gould acknowledge in their letter to Trudeau that much misunderstanding, ignorance and indecision still exists around treaty rights – and that cannot continue.
They say the Mi’kmaw, Maliseet and Passamaquoddy Peoples are interested in working together with all of the other interested parties to give life to the Supreme Court’s 1999 Marshall decision.
“However, your government must play a leadership role and the non-Indigenous fishers must be willing to cooperate and respect the rule of law," say the chiefs. “They must understand and acknowledge our priority rights-based access to the resource. They cannot continue to view the entire resource as their personal property, nor can they carry out violent and unlawful acts against the Mi’kmaw fishers and their property."
Bernard and Gould want to see the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (formerly Indian and Norther Affairs Canada) replace the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to lead any future dialogue with the Mi’kmaw on treaty rights, including the implementation of the moderate livelihood fishery.
“Together, we can build a better future for the Mi’kmaq and for all Canadians," the chiefs say in their letter to Trudeau, which was also sent to Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs.
