Again, your frustration is directed at the wrong people. If they're indeed selling fish in contravention of their right to do so, you should contact DFO. However we have a bunch of fish farms off the coast that really benefit no-one in our country. The evidence suggests those activities are what is doing irreparable harm to our once thriving fishery. Alaska, with no fish farms, is receiving record sockeye returns this year - Both the traditional food and commercial fisheries are in great shape. Even blaming the secretive, private , foreign corps responsible for the fish farms, while more accurate than blaming the natives, is still incomplete and poorly targeted. Blame the politicians, bureaucrats and other law makers that allow something so economically and biologically reductionist to continue.
FN and sportsman and commercial fishers all have a common enemy in this regard. Time would not be wasted in venting your frustration to those that set the ground rules; ie not the FN.
Last year their food fishery on the Fraser was shut down completely. That fishery has precedence over ours, so that spells disaster for the rest of the salmon fishery. It would be equivalent to a senior water right being shutdown. The only reasonable conclusion from that is emergency measures in time of drought. So it is with BC's fishery, sadly.
Yes, if people are selling fish commercially without a licence, RAPP and the DFO should be called in. All of us depend on the resource and people acting in contravention of the management plan affects us all, whomever the offenders may be. But there is a FN food fishery, FN commercial fishery, and FN ceremonial fishery. Indians selling fish does not equal illegality btw. Before one goes accusing someone of criminality because of what they presume about their race, one should ensure that they are dealing with the correct set of facts.
Like all other communities, some FN seem to be incredibly conscientious WRT the laws that govern them, while others look to cut corners and bend the rules, and others yet, seem intent on flouting said rules. Its obviously preferable, that we engage, and work with the first group and ensure that the rules are adequately enforced with the following, just like in every other segment of society.
Perhaps.
It is very nice to see someone with a well educated mind able to discuss this very debatable topic in a very logical, rational manner.
You have been successful I believe in getting some valuable information out there. Unfortunately, some choose not to believe it.
" Handouts" or money from the government, seems to be the big fallacy still. Probably because the government likes to publicize how much money they are spending in this regard. Yes they get some kind of welfare but so does anyone else who applies for it Native or not. Same with Healthcare. If you are on welfare you get healthcare for free. The only difference I guess is education where some students who qualify, get tuition and books paid for. I see the government double dipping so to speak by saying they are giving Natives funding when they would have given it to them regardless if they were Native or not. Pad their stats so to speak.
"Traditional". There is very little understanding of this word in this context. Traditional to native people has more to do of Spiritual aspects then physical descriptions. Similar to Kosher foods. Its how it dealt with and not the manner of or the mechanics of the act. For instance, when you take a deer's life, do you say a prayer when you take its life and do you thank it once its life has been taken? When you perform a ceremony do you utilize non-traditional foods such as beef and pork or do you utilize "traditional' foods such as Salmon and deer meat? The mechanics of taking the animal bow or rifle is less important as far as "traditional" goes.
The biggest misunderstanding, probably from Canada's first inception as well, is that Native people hold the same values and beliefs as other people. The problem has become clouded because not all Natives hold these values anymore. Through Residential School, and the other historical events that have happened over the years, they were lost. Natives valued Culture and Spiritual and Family over a big house a big car and a big bank account. Those who knew a lot about the culture and spirituality were deemed rich and giving was much more valuable then getting. Fortunately, because some Elders held on to some of these, it is being revitalized. Same with the Language and Culture.
The last thing that I would like to bring up is that most posters on here who post negative comments are thinking solely on what's in it for them. They have no thought or care about anyone or anything else. Putting themselves in others shoes would probably help them in this regard. Also having an open mind and an open heart would help as well.
This topic has to be dealt with and I am sure almost EVERY Native person would like to have it dealt with as well. I believe it all boils down to UNDOING what has been done and stop the façade of fixing it by dolling out money. Keep the money and assist the Native People by bringing back the Culture, Language and Spirituality which has been lost for many years. Once this is back in place, the divide which has been building, may for once decline as it gets stronger and stronger. I don't mean to try to make it sound so easy but it is a process which would take years and years to come to fruition.
Last year their food fishery on the Fraser was shut down completely. That fishery has precedence over ours, so that spells disaster for the rest of the salmon fishery. It would be equivalent to a senior water right being shutdown. The only reasonable conclusion from that is emergency measures in time of drought. So it is with BC's fishery, sadly.
Wrong. "First Nations" people caught, consumed, and sold salmon from the Fraser River in 2016.