What's Happening in Nova Scotia Right Now?
| What's Happening in Nova Scotia Right Now? | | There’s a lot going on right now in the world, so you may have initially missed what’s happening in your own backyard, specifically in Nova Scotia. But, make no mistake: You should be paying attention now to the clash happening between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers. On September 17, the Sipekne’katik First Nation launched its own Mi’kmaq-regulated, rights-based lobster fishery in St. Marys Bay, an area of water located about 250 kilometres west of Halifax. According to CBC, it’s believed to be the first fishery of its kind in the province, and on the day of the launch, the Sipekne’katik First Nation held a ceremony to launch its fishing fleet and give out permits and licenses. Unfortunately, the announcement wasn’t celebrated by everyone in the province, and sparked violent protests in nearby Saulnierville among local non-Indigenous fishers—coming to a head on the weekend of September 20. For those of us outside the province, a lot of questions have arisen since catching the news reports of this clash, such as: Why did the Sipekne’katik First Nations launch their fishery now? Why are non-Indigenous fishers so angry? Is this legal? And how do we resolve this issue? Here’s everything you need to know about the ongoing dispute between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers in Nova Scotia, including what it has to do with an over 20-year-old Supreme Court ruling. | | | | |
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