Eight days after DFO officers descended on Grand River, Cape Breton with seven vehicles, Mi’kmaw fisher Owen Gould sits down to tell the full story. On June 2nd, 2026, Owen and six others were fishing Gaspereau under treaty rights, catching bait for Mi’kmaw lobster fishermen who are being refused bait by commercial sellers. They were following DFO’s own rules, fishing at the waterfall, not the fish ladder. DFO arrested the group anyway, seized their catch, their ATV, and attempted to tow all their vehicles and leave them stranded. Owen describes being physically pushed when he grabbed his father in law’s trailer, which had no fish on it and played no role in the alleged offense. The confrontation that followed was captured on video and seen across the country. Owen, a paramedic of 17 years diagnosed with PTSD, speaks candidly about what it costs Mi’kmaw people to exercise rights already protected by the Constitution. Rights that chiefs signed agreements to protect. Agreements DFO officers on the ground claim they’ve never heard of. He talks about the poverty in Eskasoni, 15 to 20 attempted suicide calls a week during his time as a paramedic there, and why giving up is not an option. If you don’t practice your rights, who will?
Video link: https://youtu.be/s3mMk5zPbDE