OTTAWA -- "How many jobs is the Minister of Fisheries prepared to sacrifice to satisfy his race-based fishery policy?" said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).

The question was put to the Minister of Fisheries today in Parliament.

The Minister of Fisheries has refused to support the application of the West Nova Fishermen's Coalition to have the Supreme Court of Canada clarify the government's power to regulate aboriginal fishing rights in light of the Marshall decision giving natives priority access to the commercial fishery.

Instead a chief federal representative has been appointed to work out arrangements for the transfer of the fishery to natives.

Fishermen find little consolation in the Minister's refusal to appoint an unbiased arbitrator to settle access issues created by the Marshall decision. Rather he has chosen a federal treaty negotiator whose mandate is to transfer resources to natives.