John Cummins, M.P. Delta-South Richmond

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2001

Put Up or Shut Up, Mr. Keddy

OTTAWA--"Nova Scotia M.P. Gerald Keddy makes it difficult to hold the government accountable for its misguided native fisheries policy in the Maritimes," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).

Keddy attacked Cummins again on March 13th in Fisheries Committee for questioning whether natives had a special right to harvest lobster.

He said Cummins was wasting time even to raise the issue: "You've got to read your history because you're wasting a lot of good time, valuable time...You know, if you want me to point out a few books of some of the original French explorers who were here and what they said about the lobster fishery, then read it and move on to issues where we can make some headway."

"Gerald Keddy may fancy himself a historian of some repute but I would challenge him to bring to Fisheries Committee these books or historical documents that show beyond a reasonable doubt that the lobster was central to the Mi'kmaq culture prior to contact with Europeans."

Fishermen, historians and Department of Justice lawyers have advised the Federal Court in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick that there is no basis for natives to claim either a special aboriginal or a treaty right to harvest lobster beyond what is available to every Canadian citizen.

"Any evidence Mr. Keddy has to the contrary would be a valuable contribution to the discussion of special native rights to harvest lobster."

"It's time for Mr. Keddy to put up or shut up," said Cummins.

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For more information, please contact:

John Cummins, M.P.
(613) 992-2957
(604) 970-0937 (Cell)