AMC Supports the UN Committee’s Call for Canada to Investigate Claims of Racist Violence
May 11, 2021
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
alexpapineau
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) supports the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s (CERD) call for the Government of Canada to respond to allegations it committed racist actions in its treatment of Mi’kmaq lobster fishers in Nova Scotia.
AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas stated, “Canada received a letter of notice at the end of April from the CERD to respond to the allegations put forth by the Sipekne’katik First Nation. They have until July 14, 2021 to respond to the fact that despite having been aware of the risk of high violence, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the RCMP stood by and failed to take appropriate measures to prevent this from happening. This despite the fact that the Mi’kmaq have a treaty right to fish for a “moderate livelihood” when and where they wish, based on a decision from Canada’s Supreme Court.”
The CERD received information from a number of Mi’kmaq supporters that outlined the racist hate speech, violence including fire arms, intimidation, burning and destruction of their property that included lobster traps, lobster processing facilities and work vehicles.
Grand Chief Dumas further stated, “the AMC will continue to stand with our brothers and sisters on the east coast and their right to traditional fishing, and we stand with all of the First Nations who fight this fight every day to ensure that provincial and federal governments are fully respecting the treaty based rights of First Nations. These governments need to demonstrate how they are implementing such treaties and rights in real time.”