Evidence of meeting #7 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mi'kmaq.
A video is available from Parliament.
6 p.m.
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Thank you, Chiefs. You guys have done great. We're very happy to have you here.
When we've discussed things with Nova Scotia chiefs, they've told us very much so that the Mi'kmaq aren't willing to sell their rights. Would you say that in New Brunswick and P.E.I. the Mi'kmaq would be very disappointed and angry at you as chiefs if the chiefs entertained any kind of discussion around selling rights? Do you think that's accurate?
6 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
We wouldn't be chiefs. We won't be chiefs for very long if we start talking about selling out our rights. I'll tell you that much.
6 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
We have resisted the Jones overtures that would require non-assertion of our treaty rights. That's a no-go zone.
6 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
Our people would expect us to bring it to a community discussion and a vote if we were to sign some kind of a rights-prejudiced agreement.
6 p.m.
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Okay.
There have been those out there who have called for, instead of a band-by-band approach, an approach that is based on Mi'kmaq nationhood by Mi'kma'ki or by traditional Mi'kmaq districts. As chiefs from different provinces, do you think there would be a way for Mi'kmaq chiefs to actually sit down and have a discussion that brings a nation-model approach to the governance of fisheries?
I'd like to hear from both of you.
6 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
Do you mean like a Mi'kmaq fishers authority? Well, the senators have approached the first nations on P.E.I. to talk about that idea. I've approached the chiefs at an all-chiefs meeting and said, “Let's have a nationhood gathering; let's have a Mi'kmaq nation gathering.” I didn't get much uptake on it right now.
I think right now everybody is just trying to find their own way. We're trying to get our engagement done and get our plans started. That's where I think we are right now.
6 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
We had actually met with Nova Scotia first nations and with P.E.I. and Newfoundland. The invite was sent out to all and we had met in Membertou, probably about a year and a half ago. I guess the plan was to—
6 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
Yes, the plan was to continue to do that and begin a dialogue on a number of issues. The talk about fishery would be a perfect opportunity to do that. When the Jones agreements first came out, they were touted as nation-to-nation agreements. We had high hopes that this would happen. It didn't take too long for Jones and company to start working to divide and conquer.
6 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
Yes, they always have the big nation-to-nation discussions, and then we all splinter at the end of the day. I think it would be great if we could have the overarching Mi'kmaq fisheries authority, and then everybody, like the provinces, work together.
6 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
Absolutely.
6 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
I don't think we're going to get there really quickly, so for this winter....
P.E.I. is small. I think we could get a lot of things done. We could come together in unity on a bunch of things. We want to talk to all of P.E.I. We want all islanders to understand our treaty rights and we want them to be a part of it. When we're doing really well, P.E.I. does really well. That's just a known fact. We've done studies.
6:05 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
Absolutely. It's the same here. If our nations in New Brunswick prosper, everyone else feels that, Miramichi especially.
6:05 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
You have three first nations on the river here. Miramichi would feel it if we all decided to take our resources to Moncton or to Eel River Bar or Dalhousie.
To be truthful, we understand how the smaller fishermen who are struggling to survive feel. We would think they would understand our situation better than most. Look at our poverty rates. Look at our unemployment. It's 21 years, but it was a really uneasy relationship at first. The few licences that we have are in Pointe-Sapin, which is an hour from here. It took a while, but the guys work together now.
Fishing in the winter lobster season in New Brunswick is not an easy life. The good thing about it is that it provides employment. We have six licences now. At least two or three first nations from Eel Ground are on every vessel, so that is important in providing some employment. If we can double or triple that, we're in an even better position.
6:05 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
Our communal lobster commercial fishery is all first nations people from our community who are involved in that: the management, the fishermen, right down to the deckhands.
6:05 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
One thing I want to mention before you cut us off is we've been talking about food diversification as well as commercial diversification, and we've been having a hell of a struggle to try to get any lobster through to our community. I got a letter, which I included in the pack. It's from three years ago. It says, “It doesn't look like we're going to be able to do it again this year; it looks like we're going to have to take it off your commercial communal.” We've had to do that. Why? We were talking about feeding our people.
6:05 p.m.
Lennox Island First Nation
We don't do that. Our food, social ceremonial fishery is completely different. It goes from August to October.
6:05 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, North Shore Mi’gmaq District Council, Eel Ground First Nation
We haven't been able to get tags for that.
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, both.
Thank you, Mr. Battiste.
A big thank you, of course, to Chief Ginnish and Chief Bernard for appearing before committee today and enlightening us on this very important topic.
That concludes our session for today. I want to say a big thank you to the committee members for their patience and indulgence, and as well to the clerk, the analysts, translators and all the staff for putting up with us running over time again this evening.
We'll see everybody on Wednesday.