Tag Archives: Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack
Sipekne’katik chief ‘optimistic’ about newly appointed fisheries minister
The chief of Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia says he’s looking forward to a clean slate with the newly appointed fisheries minister. MP Joyce Murray, who represents Vancouver Quadra, was named minister of fisheries and oceans when Justin Trudeau unveiled his new cabinet Tuesday.,, Mike Sack said since the federal election, he has been “waiting patiently” for Trudeau to name a new minister. He adds he plans to reach out to Murray soon for a one-on-one chat. >click to read< 10:33
RCMP investigating Mi’kmaq lobster boat tie-up line slashing allegation
The RCMP are opening a criminal investigation into a report that nine lobster fishing boats operated by Mi’kmaq fishers were purposely cut loose from a wharf Thursday in southwestern Nova Scotia. Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack has alleged the boats were cast adrift from their berths in Weymouth North, N.S., to damage the band’s property and intimidate its fishers. The Mounties said in an email today they are taking the complaint seriously and looking into the matter. video, >click to read< 11:47
Sipekne’katik may seek United Nations peacekeepers for contentious N.S. fishery relaunch
The Sipekne’katik First Nation says it is considering asking the United Nations to send peacekeepers to police the self-regulated lobster fishery it plans to relaunch in southwestern Nova Scotia outside the commercial fishing season. On Thursday, Chief Mike Sack said Sipekne’katik fishermen will return to St. Marys Bay in June despite warnings in March from federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan that her department will enforce rules prohibiting commercial lobster fishing outside of commercial seasons. “We’re going to send a letter off to the United Nations and hoping that they can come and keep the peace. And it was very obvious to me that we couldn’t rely on the RCMP or DFO,” Sack said. >click to read< 08:44
Independent inshore lobster fishermen fear the Clearwater purchase could decimate their livelihoods
In 2018, then-Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Dominic Leblanc, put an end to Clearwater’s 20-year monopoly on the lucrative offshore fishery of Arctic surf clam when he allocated a quarter of the clam quota to the Five Nations Clam Company,,, Clearwater threatened legal action over the deal, and after it emerged that LeBlanc had family ties to Premium Seafoods, the plan was cancelled. Clearwater regained its surf clam monopoly for a year. Then in 2020, just nine days before Sipekne’katik First Nation launched its moderate livelihood fishery in Saulnierville in Southwest Nova, Clearwater announced that Membertou First Nation had purchased two of its eight licences for offshore lobster, over which the company had a monopoly,,, >click to read< Search Results for: Five Nations Clam Company, (lots )>click here< 20:56
RCMP charge 22 year old woman with assault amid lobster fishery tensions in southwest Nova Scotia
In a news release Monday afternoon, RCMP said they charged 22-year old Kristen Sack of Hants County with one count of assault in relation to the incident on Oct. 14. A man from Digby County was charged with two counts of assault on Saturday in relation to the same incident. Another man was arrested last month for allegedly assaulting Sipekne’katik Chief Mike Sack that same day. RCMP spokesperson Andrew Joyce said Monday there were multiple victims during the day’s events and all three people facing charges allegely assaulted different people. >click to read< 17:50
Indigenous Services Minister says Mi’kmaw fishermen in Nova Scotia being ‘let down’ by police
“We must also recognize that once again, as evidenced by the scenes of violence, Indigenous people have been let down by the police, those who are sworn to protect them,” he told a news conference in Ottawa this morning.,, Miller was joined by Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.,, The Sipekne’katik fishery operates outside the federally mandated commercial season. Commercial fishermen say they worry about its impact on lobster conservation, an argument Sack is trying to discredit. Colin Sproul,,, “The real gulf between Chief Sack’s position and mine is this: we respect and support Indigenous fishery access rights, which was ratified by the Marshall decision, but we respect the entire decision,” >click to read< 16:02
Man charged with arson after vehicle fire outside one lobster pound, man charged with assault at another location
A Yarmouth County man has been charged with arson after a vehicle was torched outside a lobster facility in New Edinburgh, N.S. Meteghan RCMP were called to a disturbance outside the lobster pound Tuesday evening, just one of two locations where several hundred commercial fishermen and their supporters raided facilities where Mi’kmaw fishermen were storing their catches. Michael Burton Nickerson, 31, has been charged with arson causing damage to property. A Digby County man was also charged in the midst of the ongoing dispute over the lobster fishery. Chris Gerald Melanson, 46, has been >charged with assault< after allegedly grabbing and shoving Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack on Wednesday during an altercation at the lobster pound in New Edinburgh. >click to read< 14:38
