Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

New Brunswick, Canada, January 14, 2001 - The community of Tobique Reserve in New Brunswick has recently come under attack from Department of Fisheries and Oceans in relation to a fishing rights issue.

Following in the footsteps of their MikMaq brothers and sisters at Burnt Church, the community at Tobique unanimously voted on a referendum to regulate and determine their own policy in accordance with original treaties, thereby asserting their soindependance as aboriginal people.

Chief Patrick Francis, and 'Indian Act Chief' along with four concil members, identified as Sterling Perley, Robert Hassenchahl, Irling Perley, and Wayne Nicholas, superceded the referendum opposition and signed with DFO for a sizeable amount of money, to relinquish the fishing rights of the community. This will allow the Canadian government to regulate and control the fishing rights for the Tobique community.

Under a legal precidence set, (crown v. Little), any signing of federal agreements constitutes a new treaty, thereby voiding any and all original treaties.

In a telephone interview this evening, a source at Tobique reserve states: "This is the year that many of the fishing rights treaties are coming up for renewal, it appears that Big Cove is the next target. The chief and council members are franticly running around trying to spend all the money before the validation fo those agreements. Many of the people who voted against the referendum are now accepting positions in the fisheries in conjunction with DFO. Spending that money places the community in a very compromising position with little or no legal recourse. By the chief and council members signing this agreement with DFO not only voids our original treaties, but also the sovereignty of each of our communities."

Two Tobique women have decided to take a stand against this governmental power play. Terry St. Jacques and Colleen Sapier have occupied the band office at Tobique in an attempt to gain support for their community against the canadian government and the 'Indian Act Chiefs'. The women are "fasting for justice" and have stated that they "will continue to do so until someone listens".

In a telephone interview this evening with Terry St. Jacques, mother of two, stated, "This is an illegal agreement forced upon our community. The Canadian Government and the department of fisheries and oceans has placed Tobique in the jurisdiction of Passamaquoddy Reserve, placing us in direct competition for fishing rights. It's the usual divide and conquer thing...we will not fight with our own people over fishing rights." St. Jacques also stated that they have been in touch with people at Passamaquoddy Reserve and they are in total support.

Terry St. Jacques and Colleen Sapier are asking support from us, as their aboriginal family. They are asking people who hear of their struggle to network by phone, fax, Internet, news, radio, etc to bring attention to their cause and to support aboriginal treaty rights.

In speaking with Terry by phone, she asks that we send our support by FAX to Amherst Indian Affairs Office FAX#: 902-661-6237 and also to Frank Ring at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, phone: 506-851-2224. Terry St. Jacques also asked that the word be "spread about what is really going on here!"

My own (Nanci Smith-Pollard) comment on this is that one drum makes a beautiful noise...but many together make a joyful chorus to the ears of the creator. In the spirit of the drum...let your voice be heard! Unity! Traditional Clan-Keptin Paul R. Pollard II had this comment: "When are we going to empower the women once again to take their rightful places in our communities under the traditional clan system, to strip these 'Indian Act Chiefs' of their power to destroy our communities?"

Woliwon,

Nanci Smith-Pollard
Maliseet Nation Viger Band