Cree Nation Statement – Canada Must Act to Stop the Violence Against Mi’kmaq Fishers

The Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee has observed with growing alarm and anger the escalating violence directed at Mi’kmaq lobster fishers in Nova Scotia. The violence has been at the hands of non-Indigenous commercial fishers who take issue with the Mi’kmaq exercising their treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood. The Supreme Court of Canada expressly recognized this treaty right as protected by the Constitution of Canada in the two landmark Marshall judgments of 1999.

Despite these judgements, tensions have persisted between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous lobster fishers. These tensions have been due in large part to the failure of the Government of Canada to assume its responsibility to implement the Marshall decisions by negotiating a long-term plan to meet the legitimate needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers and of conservation.

These tensions, left simmering for the past 20 years, have boiled over into violence in recent weeks. Mi’kmaq fishers, including Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack, have been assaulted and intimidated, their lobster catch and gear destroyed, a lobster pound burned to the ground, a Mi’kmaw fishing boat destroyed by fire and a van torched.

The Cree Nation agrees with Senator Murray Sinclair when he calls this violence “acts of terror”. We agree with Minister Marc Miller of Indigenous Services when he says that the RCMP has “let down” the Mi’kmaq. We find it hard to agree with Prime Minister Trudeau when he says that the Government of Canada has been extremely active in trying to resolve the situation. And we find it very hard to agree with RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki when she states that the RCMP is “managing this issue”. We see little evidence of that.

Chief Mike Sack said it best last week:

“Somebody could have died last night… Systemic racism at its finest. We all believe and know that if the shoe was on the other foot, there’d be a ton of cops here, the army would be here, National Guard, everyone – I’m not sure why our lives are less valuable than anyone else.”

Chief Mike Sack

This is where systemic racism leads. We’ve seen it time and again across Canada. Sooner or later, an Indigenous person is injured or loses their life.

It’s not enough for the police to investigate the crimes after the fact. It’s not enough for them to stand by and let the violence happen. It’s not enough for the Government of Canada to look the other way. It’s beyond time for Canada to step up to the plate and fix this problem.

The solution is at hand – negotiation of an agreement that implements, at long last, Mi’kmaw treaty rights to fish and that meets the legitimate needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers and of conservation. Chief Sack has indicated that he is ready and willing to do so. Is Canada?

Bill Namagoose, Executive Director 

Tel.: (613) 725–7024 

Email: media@cngov.ca