Chief Mike Sack endorses findings of Peace on the Water Senate Report

The release of the recent Peace on the Water Senate report gives our community hope that there may be a pathway forward for the recognition and implementation of our Indigenous rights. We are encouraged that the Senate has ben able to recognize and articulate the various the barriers that the Mi’kmaq have faced in the exercise of our rights – barriers that have been created through the administration of rights under DFO. While we are encouraged with the findings it must also be said that we raised these issues two years ago, and had Canada listened, we might not have had to endure the racialized violence that occurred nor the misrepresentation of our communities within the fishery and the general public. The report validates in each of its recommendations what we have been saying from the outset of launching our Treaty (Livelihood) fishery in 2020, on the 21st anniversary of the Donald Marshall Jr. decision.

The Treaty fishery model we presented over two years ago now is reinforced by each recommendation from the Senate. Ensuring our negotiations are led by Crown Indigenous Relations is the most integral of these recommendations, as well as recognizing that rights can be recognized and implemented under section 4.1 of the Fishery Act, as a minimum. Minister Miller acutely understands the issues we are faced with and has taken the time to visit with the people of our community and has seen our challenges firsthand.

A final recommendation in the report is to increase awareness, this in particular is of great concern to me, and I know everyone in our community as we continue to grapple with the misrepresentation of our people. Addressing this through Treaty education on rights issues is a start however, countering the misinformation that has been systematically put out by self interested parties in the industry is going to be critical.

With CIRNA and the Senate overseeing this process going forward I believe there is a viable and clear path ahead. However, if the oversight continues to be managed through DFO I fear that it will be another 21 years or more before there can be any true progress in realizing the agreed upon Treaty rights of the 1700’s.

We have continued to keep lines of communication open with DFO and CIRNA and we are optimistic about upcoming discussions.