10 Aug Consulting First Nations now a necessity (The Daily News)
A frustrated chief and members of his Stz’uminus First Nation did what they believed they had to do to stop an injustice from repeating itself on their traditional territory on Monday morning.
Chief John Elliott knows that for 30 years the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has granted commercial fishing licences to divers who want to harvest geoducks in the waters just offshore of the land his people have lived on for thousands of years.
Monday, in an act of peaceful civil disobedience, Elliott and others from his community forced the DFO to cancel the commercial fishery that had been scheduled.
British Columbians and all Canadians can expect more actions like those taken by the Stz’uminus as we fail to acknowledge the legitimate concerns of aboriginal people.
Both Elliott and Snuneymuxw Chief Doug White insist senior levels of government are making decisions without consulting Island First Nations.
Elliott launched the Stz’uminus protest because DFO refused meaningful consultation with his people before allowing the commercial geoduck opening…. Go to article.