A protest in support of First Nation fisheries will be held at Saint John’s city hall Saturday afternoon.
The peaceful rally hosted by Eastern Circle will include local elders and a ceremony in solidarity with Mi’kmaq fishers in Nova Scotia.
First Nation communities have been the targets of violent protests after a lobster fishery started by Sipekne’katik First Nation launched in September.
“I feel like there needs to be a stand in solidarity because we are one of the connectors to Digby in Saint John, and it feels too close to home,” says Cassandra McLaughlin, founder of Eastern Circle and a member of the Inuvialuit community.
In a release, Eastern Circle cites the ‘ring’ theory as a basis of support for Mi’kmaq fishers. The theory says the Indigenous people facing attacks on the front-lines in Nova Scotia are at the centre of the ‘ring,’ and require help and support from those outside of the situation.
McLaughlin says non-Indigenous community members form the ring’s ‘outer circle.’ She believes Saint Johners have an important role to play as allies during the fishing dispute.
“Allies have to help us amplify the people that are in the centre of it all, to help work towards truth and reconciliation, and changing the narrative,” they said.
McLaughlin cites the 1752 Peace and Friendship Treaty signed between Mi’kmaq in Shubenacadie and the Nova Scotia provincial government, as guaranteeing the rights of First Nation’s members to fish and hunt in the province.
The Eastern Circle release says that to silence Indigenous voices continues a genocide against First Nation communities.
“We have fought for so long to get recognition, and to get our voices finally heard,” McLaughlin said. “We have been shut down for thousands of years… and you as allies can never let our voices be silenced again.”
The rally will be held at 1 p.m. outside city hall.
