On Friday, March 22nd, 2024 Daniel Francis and Trent Francis were found not guilty of obstructing a Fisheries Officer by Judge Sarson of the Dartmouth Provincial Court of Nova Scotia. This is the third Micmac rights case won in the last two months by former National Chief Delbert Riley who has been appearing in court…
Category: Fishing
Join Daniel and Trent Francis in court on March 22nd
All MRA members and supporters are invited to join Daniel and Trent Francis in the Dartmouth Provincial Courthouse at 277 Pleasant Street to hear the verdict in their case on Friday, March 22, 2024.
Chief Riley and Cody Caplin win constitutional challenge
A total of eight charges of violating the provisions of the Fisheries Act against Micmac fisherman Cody Caplin were dropped by the Attorney General of Canada on February 15th, 2024.
Defend Micmac Rights! Support Daniel and Trent Francis
Daniel and Trent Francis are Micmac fishermen from Pictou Landing who were charged on September 11th 2021 for “obstructing a fishery officer” while exercising their constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights. Their trial begins on Tuesday, February 20th and continues on the 21st. Come and stand with them!
January 18th – Cody Caplin’s next court date and Public Meeting
UPDATE Jan 17 – Court for Cody Caplin has been postponed until Feb 15th. So the Jan 18th meeting has been postponed until Feb 15th. Sorry for any inconvenience. Come and support Eel River Bar First Nation member Cody Caplin in his constitutional challenge for Mi’kmaq Aboriginal and treaty rights. Cody is being charged for…
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.