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ESGENOOPETITJ (BURNT CHURCH), NB - On June 7, Canada's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans visited north east New Brunswick where the conflict over access to the lobster fishery continues. He began his day at the Port of Caraquet where he came to announce a federal grant to renovate their wharf. But in his remarks he also addressed the lobster dispute.

Last fall a Supreme Court decision gave Aboriginal people in this region new access to the commercial fishery. "It could have caused a lot of trouble. But it didn't," he said.

The Supreme Court did not give the Aboriginal people access to the fishery. It merely confirmed the continuing validity of the Peace and Friendship treaties signed by the British and Wabanaki nations which affirmed the commercial activities of Aboriginal peoples. Treaty and aboriginal rights are entrenched in Canada's Constitution and cannot be given by Canada's Supreme Court. Nor can they be overridden unilaterally by Canada.

CPT asked the Minister during his press conference how he could say the Court decision caused no trouble when 3,000 lobster traps belonging to Esgenoopetitj First Nation were destroyed by Canadian fishers, another 1,000 were confiscated by officials last fall, and dozens more have been seized this spring? Dhaliwal replied, "We recognize the treaty rights. But I have the authority to regulate the fishery and I will do so."

As he left the press conference, Dhaliwal encountered other CPTers holding a banner saying, "The Canadian government must honour the treaties." He stopped to chat, but quickly moved on when asked why he continued to claim the right to unilaterally control the fishery in violation of the nation-to-nation basis of the treaties, and when the confiscated traps would be returned.

In the afternoon, the Minister had offered to meet with Esgenoopetitj First Nation. Thirty people from Esgenoopetitj plus three CPTers gathered at the Wharf Inn in nearby Miramichi for the meeting, but Dhaliwal suddenly cancelled it. The people then moved on to the Rodd Motor Inn where they hoped to meet him when he came to speak to an international salmon fishing conference. Dhaliwal's car pulled into the inn's parking lot and immediately sped off.

The next morning, Dhaliwal told radio reporters he was willing to meet and willing to compromise. People are still waiting.

CPT has maintained a violence-reduction team at the lobster fishing grounds in Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick since April 4. Current team members are Chris Buhler (Waterloo ON), Barb Martens (Ruthven ON), Doug Pritchard (Toronto ON), Peggy Tiessen (Leamington ON), and Jane Wright (Toronto ON).