Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by acknowledging that I am here in Mi’kma’ki, on the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq peoples. I am not far from the Shubenacadie waterway that has been used by the Mi'kmaq for thousands of years.
Although I know that issues surrounding the Nova Scotia fishery are deeply personal to all involved, I want to be very clear when I say that I am disgusted by the incidents of racism and violence in southwest Nova Scotia. I am deeply ashamed of the perpetrators and those who support racism and violence against the Mi'kmaq people. The violence and the racism must stop.
I have received an incredible volume of correspondence and outreach from my constituents in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour on this issue, passionate, thoughtful emails, and so many that I will not be able to respond to everyone individually. Nova Scotians want to know that the Mi'kmaq will be protected from racism and violence, and that their treaty rights will be respected and implemented. I have been just as concerned throughout this unrest. From my many conversations with ministers in our government, I know that they share this concern. I know those are not empty words because they are acting on them.
The Mi'kmaq fishermen and the first nations communities have been let down by those whose job it is to protect them. I can tell colleagues that my constituents do not want to hear what jurisdiction is in charge of what. They want to know that all orders of government are working together to keep all people safe.
I am grateful that our government approved a request for assistance from the Province of Nova Scotia to enhance the presence of RCMP officers as needed. These disgusting acts of violence must be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators must be held to account. I am glad to see that the RCMP have laid charges, including for the assault against Chief Sack, but I want to make it very clear that more needs to be done. Tensions need to be lowered.
In Nova Scotia we are all treaty people. The peace and friendship treaties of 1760 and 1761 are solemn, special agreements and lasting commitments. They affirm a treaty right to hunt, to fish and to gather in pursuit of a moderate livelihood. The Supreme Court of Canada's September 17, 1999, decision in the Donald Marshall case affirmed this treaty right, and we affirm this treaty right. The decision affected 34 Mi'kmaq and Maliseet first nations in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and the Gaspé region of Quebec.
From listening to my Mi'kmaq parliamentary colleagues on this issue, such as my friend, the hon. member for Sydney—Victoria, I have learned that this would be the first treaty ruling that would allow indigenous people not just to survive but to thrive financially in Canada.
Through the Minister of Fisheries I have learned that, following the Marshall decision, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans launched a series of initiatives and programs to help implement this treaty right. We now know that although some of these initiatives and programs were successful, others were not. Some programs included the Marshall response initiative, which provided first nation communities with licences, vessels and gear in order to increase the diversity of their participation in the commercial fisheries and contribute to the pursuit of a moderate livelihood for first nations members.
This was followed by the Atlantic integrated commercial fisheries initiative in 2007, which provided funding and support to Marshall communities to build the capacity of their communal commercial fishing enterprises and to strengthen their communities' economic self-sufficiency.
In 2017, DFO began to negotiate time-limited rights reconciliation agreements on fisheries with Mi'kmaq and Maliseet first nations in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and the Gaspé region of Quebec.
In 2019, Fisheries and Oceans Canada signed two rights reconciliation agreements on fisheries.
However, it is not lost on me that the Marshall decision was made over 20 years ago. We are a government that believes and that knows there is no relationship more important to Canada than our relationship with indigenous peoples, a government that believes in the journey of reconciliation and in the self-determination of indigenous peoples, yet today we struggle to implement this treaty right.
We know that first nation members across the Atlantic region have grown frustrated with the progress of negotiations and some communities have launched their own moderate livelihood fisheries and submitted fishery plans to DFO for consideration and discussion. However, the unacceptable acts of violence on water and land only serve to prevent the important constructive dialogue from happening.
I have reached out to the Minister of Fisheries on behalf of my constituents and she has assured me that conversations with first nations to implement their treaty rights are ongoing. I know that our government stands ready to work with first nations on a collaborative path forward.
The minister has had several conversations with Chief Sack and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs to ensure that we continue to work collaboratively with their communities to fully implement their treaty rights as well as to ensure their safety.
We know that throughout history, and today, indigenous peoples have experienced continuous systemic racism. Colonial institutions like the RCMP or other federal departments were designed with the cards stacked against indigenous peoples. However, it does not have to remain this way. In the true spirit of reconciliation, we know that we must reform these institutions. We must put in the hard work to implement this treaty right. We must remain committed to a nation-to-nation approach moving forward.
All eyes are on Mi’kma’ki.