Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Do lobsters have ears? Who knows? But Canadians have ears. As Esgenoôpetitj First Nation prepares for the fall lobster-fishing season, many wonder whether the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Canadian government are preparing to use the same "gunboat diplomacy" tactics as they used last year or if they'll take this chance to use their ears and listen to First Nations people. In accordance with their treaty rights, the First Nations fishers will be dropping lobster traps into the waters of Miramichi Bay under the authority of the Esgenoôpetitj Conservation Management plan. Meanwhile, DFO officers and federal officials will have the opportunity to renounce their violence and misbehaviour of the past in favour of respectfully dialoguing with First Nations people on a nation-to-nation basis.

Our role as Canadian citizens.

As a department of the federal government, the DFO represents all Canadians and, therefore, DFO officers act on our behalf as they relate to First Nations peoples (in the same way that they act on our behalf as they relate to other Canadians). If the DFO has acted in a way that goes against what Canadians want, then our role as Canadian citizens is to say, in effect, "Stop doing that! We want you to do this differently." Unless we speak up, the government interprets our silence as support. In other words, through our federal governmental system, we have a responsibility both to hold the DFO accountable for their objectionable behaviour of the past and to specify which positive and constructive behaviours we want them to display in the future.

What can I do?

Join the fax and email blitz! Send a message to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) asking them to respect the fall lobster-fishing season.

1. Encourage them to open their ears to listen to First Nations peoples.
2. Request that they widen their perspective to include the possibility that the conservation management plans of First Nations peoples might be more conservation-minded and sustainable than current DFO plans.
3. Tell them that they do not need to passively accept orders from Herb Dhaliwal and Jean Chrétien, but that they have the right and the obligation to initiate discussions within the federal system about the fact that Canadians need to build new relations with First Nations peoples.

Where do I send my message?

Send your message to the following DFO addresses, and send another copy to Esgenoôpetitj First Nation so that they know there are Canadians out there who want their federal representatives to use creative and respectful methods rather than violence.

Hon. Herb Dhaliwal
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Phone: 613-9957052 ~ FAX: 613-995-2962
E-mail: dhalih@parl.gc.ca

Raoul Breault DFO Area Chief
(East New Brunswick)
Phone: 506-395-7711 ~ Fax: 506-395-3809
E-mail: BreaultR@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Rheal Boucher DFO Regional Director
(East New Brunswick)
Phone: 506-395-7702 ~ FAX: 506-395-7739
E-mail: BoucherR@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Jim MacKenzie, DFO Federal Chief Negotiator
Phone: 613-993-8598 ~ FAX: 613-993-3435
E-mail: MacKenzieJ@dfo_mpo.gc.ca

Let the people of Esgenoôpetitj First Nation know that they are not alone in their struggle. Please send a copy of your letter to:

Esgenoôpetitj First Nation
c/o miigam'agan and gkisedtanamoogk
P.O. Box 2051, Burnt Church, NB E9G 4J9
Fax: 506-776-5137 E-mail: miigkis@nbnet.nb.ca

For more information contact, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Esgenoôpetitj Team, phone: 506-779-6886 or send an e-mail to: cptcan@sympatico.ca