Demonstrators “stand shoulder to shoulder” with indigenous fishers
On October 22nd, over 100 people gathered outside the Legislature in Fredericton to support the Mi’kmaq lobster fishers in Nova Scotia who have been facing pushback from non-indigenous fishers for more than a month.
The demonstration was part of the National Week of Action to Support Mi’kmaq Treaty Rights and Livelihood and organized by Black Lives Matter, the University of New Brunswick, the Wolastoq Grand Council and Amanda Myran, an indigenous activist.
“It was vitally important to have the event here because we are on Wolastoq homelands and the Wolastoq Nation is part of the Wabanaki Confederacy and it was really important to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Mi’kmaq relatives,” said Myran.
Myran can’t be in Nova Scotia protesting because of work obligations in Fredericton but knows people on the front lines.
“I work at UNB and we have students down there who are helping the Mi’kmaq assert their rights to fish for moderate livelihood.”
The term “moderate livelihood” has been the cause of a lot of conflict this past month between indigenous and commercial fishers.
In 1999, a Supreme Court decision affirmed that First Nations people have the right to earn a moderate commercial livelihood from fishing and hunting, but there was never a clear definition of what moderate livelihood means.
So on September 17th when Sipekne’katik First Nation launched its self-regulated lobster fishery, the non-indigenous community protested saying that it’s illegal to fish out of season and that doing so will result in depletion of stock.
Protests have been ongoing for more than one month and have become increasingly violent and destructive.
On October 14th, Michael Sack, Chief of Sipekne’katik First Nation, was assaulted by a non-indigenous protestor. 46-year-old Chris Gerald Melanson was later charged.
At one point, a van was lit on fire and a lobster pound was burned to the ground.
“I watched a video of one of my dear elders and mentors having her smudge bowl knocked out of her hands [by a non-indigenous protestor] and I was so taken aback because these are my friends and to witness that level of violence is jarring,” said Myran.
On October 22nd, The Nova Scotia Supreme Court granted Chief Sack and injunction which prohibits anyone from trying to interfere with the Mi’kmaq fishery and authorizes police to arrest anyone who violates this order.
“I’m hoping that will help with some of the tensions on that front, but the larger call is to uphold the treaty rights and responsibilities that have been here since Canada was formed,” said Myran.
Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin was at the rally and talked about a meeting she had scheduled with Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, to discuss how she was planning to sustain treaty rights and ensure the protection of the Mi’kmaq fishers. Jordan did not show up.
PhD student Chris George also spoke and used the platform to encourage people to learn about government legislation that continues to deprive indigenous peoples.
George has roots in the Eel River Bar First Nation community and studies decolonization in education systems at the University of New Brunswick.
The rally closed with drummers performing the Mi’kmaw Honour Song and the crowd joining Myran in chanting, “Honour the treaties.”
“I want to see nation-to-nation relationships between the Canadian and provincial government and the Mi’kmaq people,” said Myran.