I wish to comment on a news story by the two Mi’kmaq chiefs of P.E.I. (Denouncing DFO, March 6). I am in absolute support of Chief Darlene Bernard of the Lennox Island Band and Chief Junior Gould of the Abegweit Band for denouncing the unilateral decision of Minister of Fisheries Bernadette Jordan to impose regulations on the Mi’kmaq fishery. This decision is made all the worse by her stating that she consulted with the Mi’kmaq Nation. Minister Jordan did not consult with the Mi’kmaq Nation and she needs to do the honorable thing now and resign, as she does not appear to understand the Constitution of Canada and she seems to think that all rights and freedoms granted to others can restrict any Aboriginal treaty or other rights or freedoms granted to the Aboriginal people of Canada.
As the great British judge Lord Denning stated in 1982: "… their rights and freedoms have been guaranteed by the Crown — originally by the Crown in respect of the United Kingdom — now by the Crown in right of Canada but, in any case, by the Crown. No parliament should do anything to lessen the worth of these guarantees. They should be honoured by the Crown in Respect of Canada so long as the sun rises and the rivers flow. That promise must never be broken…"
Minister Jordan has broken the promise. She fails to understand that all Mi’kmaq persons as one Nation are treaty holders and treaty beneficiary. She and the federal government do a great dishonor to the Crown by trying to lessen the scope of the right of the Mi’kmaq Nation to its fishery. There is no risk to the conservation of the fisheries. The Mi'kmaq understood conservation thousands of years before Europeans invented capitalism, since the ocean's resources were healthy until they defined "conservation" in terms that allowed non-Native commercial fishermen to earn a lucrative livelihood.
Shame on those who dishonour the Crown and shows off their racism proudly. Burning property, sinking and stealing traps — and sending gunboats after the few unarmed Mi’kmaq fishers. In retaliation for what? How do Mi’kmaq fisheries endanger species or non-Native fisheries? The Mi’kmaq fisheries return a large portion of profits/food to their communities, especially elders and the youth sharing as we always have.
Talk of fairness and conservation is a smoke screen for simple greed, intolerance and racism. The decision of Minister Jordan is itself indeed the imposition of a racist policy.
It isn't about conservation at all. Compare the numbers of Native and non-Native traps in the waters each year. Who places conservation at risk? Prime Minister Trudeau and his appointed minister of Fisheries say negotiations continue but in truth, they should have ended with the Supreme Court's support of treaty rights even before the Marshall decision. The honour of the Crown is tarnished by these decisions. Minister Jordan must resign.
Keptin Dr. John Joe Sark LLD is a member of the Mi’kmaq Grand Council for the District of Epekwitk (P.E.I.).
