UPDATE: Minister Murray’s office has responded to MP Perkins’ statement.
From the minister’s press secretary:
“First Nations have a Supreme Court-affirmed Treaty Right to fish for a moderate livelihood and our government has never stopped working to implement that right. We reached a number of understandings with First Nation communities and will continue working to reach more.”
“There is no plan to remove any number of traps from lobster licence holders. DFO is committed to the willing seller-willing buyer model.”
Conservative South Shore/St. Margarets MP Rick Perkins grilled Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray on lobster industry quota concerns.
During Question Period yesterday in the House of Commons, Perkins said fishers are hearing that government wants to take 15 per cent of their lobster traps and give them to First Nations, without compensation.
“This would be devastating for these fishermen. Will the Minister state in this House categorically, that this government will not expropriate from lobster fishermen?” asked Perkins.
Murray responded by talking about the rights of First Nations fishers.
“First Nations have a Supreme Court affirmed treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood, and our government has never stopped working to implement that right,” says Murray.
She says government are consulting with all fishers, and no decisions have been made.
Perkins says Murray dodged the question, and couldn’t commit to protecting the hard-earned quotas of lobster fishermen.
