Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Sunday, April 22, 2001
CPTers Anne Herman, Rebecca Johnson and Jane Pritchard arrived in Esgenoopetitj (Burnt Church, NB), at approximately 10:00 p.m. and were invited to stay with a local couple.

Monday, April 23, 2001
Team members reviewed the proposed location for base camp, but discovered that the CPT trailer was still surrounded by a large snow bank.

CPTers had two meetings with different members of the community. The major issue of discussion in one of the meetings was the latest draft of a proposed fishing agreement which the Canadian government put before the thirty-four bands in the Atlantic Region.

Tuesday, April 24, 2001
The team met a few of the Rangers--Esgenoopetitj First Nation (EFN) fisheries monitors--who had just completed an eight week training program. They will begin twenty additional weeks of training in mid-May.

Twenty-six members of the community volunteered for and completed the training.

Team members presented EFN Council with a compiled list of press clippings from the year 2000 fishing season.

Thursday, April 26, 2001
The team met for dinner and a meeting with the Aboriginal Rights Coalition (ARC) observer project trainees to share information on each other's organizations.

Friday, April 27, 2001
Team members toured four wharves in the area, including Burnt Church, Neguac, TracadieSheila and Val Comeau.

Saturday, April 28, 2001
CPTers visited briefly with a native commercial fisherman who reported that he had to buy new traps this year to replace ones his sons used to fish under the EFN Management Plan and which were seized by DFO.

Members also met with a native female member of the community who expressed her concern over how exhausting last year's struggle was for her and for the community.

CPTers joined ARC observers, including new trainees, at the Learning Centre for a native ceremony of welcome to the community.

Monday, April 30, 2001
CPTers attended the Newcastle Court in Miramichi where charges, many of which were "obstructing DFO officers", were heard against nine fishers from Esgenoopetitj who were fishing under the EFN fisheries management plan.

Judge William McCarroll granted the request of all nine members, led by Band member Brian Bartibogue, that the court first consider financing the costs for the Band to hire a defence attorney. Judge McCarroll held over this decision to May 15th. Other charges, which the judge had previously ruled upon, were also held over to May 15th for sentencing. [Note: on May 15, Judge McCarrol ruled that the government will have to pay for lawyers for at least two members of the Burnt Church band. A more detailed description of the decision may be found at http://cbc.ca/bios.html]

Tuesday, May 1, 2001
CPTers met with RCMP Inspector Kevin Vickers and Sgt. Francois Bidal to express concern about the RCMP's response to and actions towards EFN fishers during the 2000 fishing season.

Wednesday, May 2, 2001
While two team members set up tents and the trailer, others went to review activity at two of the wharfs, Burnt Church and Neguac. At Neguac, CPTers engaged in discussion with several Acadian (European-Canadian) fishers. One fisher said that he had no problem with the EFN fishing management plan, as he thought it wasn't that different from the DFO regulated plan. He did, however, dispute the native right to a fall fishery, as non-natives do not have this right, and he claimed that it reduces the spring stock.

Thursday, May 3, 2001
At approximately 9:45 a.m. team members received a call that a native boat was slowly sinking off the Tabusintac wharf. Upon arriving at Tabusintac, they saw an RCMP officer talking with DFO officers. The team learned that the event had happened the previous day. Since the boat in question was not in dock it was assumed that it was either being repaired or was out fishing again.