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Esgenoopetitj (Burnt Church) Community Members have asked that a notice be circulated to our friends and allies regarding bogus appeals for donations to support the Esgenoopetitj Fisheries. One such notice has been circulating in "Ontario" which reads:

Community members received this noticed from Friends in "Ontario". This is particular appeal is bogus and the person named in this notice, Lorna Paul, states that she knows nothing of this and expressed anger of being used.

We cannot be certain as to the number of such notices that are travelling throughout the Indian Country and elsewhere. We are asking that alerts be circulated throughout the networks. Questions or inquiries of authenticity could be address by Tina Young, phone: 506-776-4009.

Thus far, the only accounts that are endorsed by the Chief and Council to support Esgenoopetitj Fisheries are the donations accounts [Account# 100-198 Royal Bank], ARC-A Lobster Trap Replacement Project [Betty Peterson Apt. 416, 6969 Bayers Road, Halifax B3L 4P3] and the Esgenoopetitj Rangers Project Account [# 90134-011-98-22 Scotia Bank, contact Leo Bartibogue, 506-776-5517].

A very brief up-date:

Esgenoopetitj Community members are engaged in a major fund raising campaign to help finance training for the Esgenoopetitj Rangers, already well underway by the highly qualified and reputable School of Indigenous Peacemaking and Security of "british columbia". HRDC funds that would normally fund this training, have been withheld by the province of New Brunswick and the federal government in an effort to thwart the training of Esgenoopetitj Rangers. There is no doubt that Canadian Governments are responding to the Community's Fisheries Management Plan that is based on the treaty protocol with the Crown and not on the Canadian Fisheries act. We estimate the total cost of this training to be $100,000.

Also the Federal Government of Canada has activated an intense campaign to raise and introduce the specter of modern treaties with maritime chiefs. This effort follows the work undertaken in "British Columbia" particularly with the Nishga'a and Scheshelt, and the creation of Nunavut. Many First Nations community members throughout this region believe these examples and the efforts of Canadian Governments to introduce modern treaties arrangements, will be disastrous for our People. I wholeheartedly agree.

Esgenoopetitj remains steadfast in pursuing meditation to resolve the impasse with the Canadian Federal Government's refusal to accept treaty-based fishery.