Nuu-chah-nulth Nations are celebrating another legal victory in recognizing their Indigenous fishing rights.
Yesterday, the BC Court of Appeal unanimously upheld the original ruling that Nuu-chah-nulth have a right to harvest ocean resources and sell their catch.
Veteran Nuu-chah-nulth leader Cliff Atleo says anglers and non-Native commercial licence holders shouldn’t be worried, but should be willing to talk with First Nations.
“I’d invite them to sit down and have a coffee and let’s talk about these resources that we’ve been sharing all along, quite generously,” he said. “I think this is a major milestone, and should be marked by actual government mandates that would allow their negotiators to come to an agreement with our people on how we can share that resource.”
Courtenay – Alberni MP Gord Johns said the Government of Canada has to stop spending millions of dollars trying to curb constitutional rights.
“The Government has spent $19 million just on government-appointed lawyers, nevermind the tens of millions of dollars in court fees and staff time within Fisheries and Oceans Canada,” he said. “All of that money could have been saved if the Government of Canada did the honourable thing and respected the Constitution, and respected Indigenous rights. They went through tens of millions of dollars fighting against the very people the Prime Minister cites as his ‘most important relationship'”.
Johns is urging Fisheries and Oceans Canada to begin real negotiations and dialogue with Nuu-chah-nulth Nations to equitably share west coast ocean resources.
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