Author: admin
July 31, 2024 MRA letter to Premiers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI
July 31, 2024 TO: Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia, <premier@novascotia.ca> Premier Blaine Higgs of New Brunswick <premier@gnb.ca>, Premier Dennis King of PEI <premier@gov.pe.ca>, CC: The Governor General of Canada <info@gg.ca>, Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree <gary.anand@parl.gc.ca>, <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, < Susan.Holt@gnb.ca>, <Wayne.Long@parl.gc.ca>, <david.hickey@saintjohn.ca>, <leader@nbndp.ca>, Zach Churchill <ca@zachchurchill.com>, Hal Perry <jhperrymla@assembly.pe.ca>, Claudia Chender <ClaudiaChenderMLA@gmail.com> Pjila’si. We hope this…
Gitpu Trading Post Backgrounder
The following post provides background information and multimedia resources about the recent protest in St. John, NB against the interference of Provincial Public Safety Officers in the lawful exercise of Micmac Aboriginal and treaty rights. Contents on this page include:
Micmac Rights Association becomes Indigenous Governing Body, launches eel and elver fishing plan to assert Micmac rights
MILLBROOK FIRST NATION – Over 45 members of the Micmac Rights Association (MRA) gathered for the fourth biannual meeting of the group on Saturday March 9th from 10am to 4pm at the Hampton Inn in Millbrook First Nation. Members came from across Mi’kma’ki, including from Abegweit, Annapolis Valley, Acadia, Eskasoni, Pictou Landing, Sipekne’katik, and Wekope’kwitk First Nations.
Register to attend the March 9th Micmac Rights Biannual Meeting
The Micmac Rights Association is an organization that exists outside and against Canada’s racist Indian Act system. We are building an organization to fight for the inherent sovereign rights of the Micmac people, with a focus on defending our rights to our own fishing, tobacco, and cannabis economies. We are holding our biannual meeting on Saturday, March…
Micmac Rights Newsletter #6
The 6th edition of our newsletter is available here and contains the opening statements of Cody Caplin and Chief Del Riley regarding Cody’s trial for fishing lobster.
Opening statement at Cody Caplin trial by Chief Del Riley Nov 30, 2023
The simple fact is that this trial should not be happening. The accused, Cody Caplin, a member of the Mi’kmaq Nation, is not a criminal. He simply exercised his constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty right as a member of his nation to fish in order to feed himself and his family on his people’s unceded territory. As Indigenous people, the right to survive and feed ourselves from our own lands is the most basic Aboriginal right that we have.
Opening statement from Cody Caplin at trial on Nov 30, 2023
My name is Cody Robert Ralph Brimsacle Caplin. I am a Mi’kmaw man, born and raised in the community of Ugpi’ganjig (Eel River Bar). My ancestors made nation-to-nation treaties with the British Crown, the French Crown, the United States of America, and with other Indigenous nations like the Mohawk Nation. We warred and we made peace. In 1725, my nation began what became our “Covenant Chain” treaty relationship with the British Crown, and this treaty was repeatedly renewed in different locations across Mi’kma’ki.
Videos from November 30th Meeting in Eel River Bar First Nation in support of Cody Caplin
On November 30th, 2023, Albert Marshall Jr., Chief Del Riley, and elder Albert Marshall Sr. addressed a gathering in Eel River Bar First Nation to speak about Micmac rights and to express support for Mi’kmaw fisherman, Cody Caplin. Caplin is currently facing 10 charges for fishing lobsters to feed himself and his family.
Constitutional challenge in Indigenous lobster fishing case moving ahead this week
Cody Caplin, a member of the Eel River Bar First Nation, was fishing for lobster in the Bay of Chaleur in September 2018 when he and his brother Kyle were arrested and their boat was seized by federal fisheries officers. A year later, they were charged with 10 fishing offences, including trapping lobster out of season.