Archive for category: News

Fields are drier in the spring than you may think. The fire on April 30th was proof. A fire began in in the fields located in and around Dundee Road.

“By the time the Fire Department got there – even with the quick response – there was damage done to the property,” said Peter Arsenault, the Director of Public Security. “They fought it quickly, but it also moves quickly, because of the wind, the breeze picks it up and fire generates rather quickly with dry fuel like that.”

A shed was burned, as well as portions of fences, but no one was injured. However, there have been some concerns with some Elders and respiratory difficulties.

There are unsubstantiated reports of someone on an all-terrain vehicle, dropping matches. As of now, it is not believed the fire was set intentionally. Often matches dropped on walking trails, or cigarette butts grow into large fires around this time of year.

“I think it’s someone along the lines of not realizing the consequences of their actions,” said Arsenault. “I don’t think it was their deliberate action to set somebody’s property on fire, but as a result – that is what happened.”

Unfortunately, there are always fires in the spring. In the past, some Firemen have even been injured as a result. In some areas, grass fires often get out of control after being deliberately set by people who believe it is good for the soil, when the opposite is actually true.

“It has environmental impacts,” Arsenault said. “It’s also bad for our groundwater. Plastics burn, and they seep into the soil, and eventually go down into the groundwater – the very water that we drink.”

In an attempt to curb the damage caused by these fires, the Fire Department has been conducting controlled burns, to create a buffer between dry areas, and people’s property. It is the only tool available to help limit the damage.

The only tool other than raising awareness.

A recent ruling on cross-border trade allows New Brunswickers to buy beer in Listuguj or Cross-Point without fear of being charged. 

The ruling lifts the restrictions imposed by the N.B government that charged Gérard Comeau for importing more than five cases of beer into the province. The government of N.B. has until the end of the month to appeal the decision.

During the days following the ruling, there were reports that the sales of alcohol in Listuguj and Cross-Point stores increased, as the prices of beer and other alcoholic beverages are cheaper in Quebec than N.B. Christine Bujold, cashier at the Restigouche Drive-Thru – a Listuguj store located on the Interprovincial Boulevard – noted that there wasn’t an increase in the number of clients. 

“It’s almost the same,” she said. “But now instead of buying two or three cases of beer, they fill their car trunk.”

Canada is  a country that signs international Free Trade agreements with countries around the world. Economic Development Minister, Navdeep Bains, called the decision a “positive development.”

This legal battle for the recognitions of the Constitutional right to cross-border trade is a reminder of First Nations legal battles to implement the Jay Treaty signed in November 1744 which reaffirmed “that First Nations could cross the border without harassment and not pay tax or duty on goods.”  The implementation of the Treaty was challenged many times.

As part of the many ongoing attempts to incorporate Mi’gmaq and First Nation’s culture, the University of New Brunswick held it’s second annual Pow Wow on April 6. Natasha Martin-Mitchell, from Listuguj, was one of the committee members. “Everything worked out the way we had hoped,” she said. “We had great attendance, it looked like everyone had a great time.”

The live stream also turned out to be a hit. People from all over logged in to see the ceremonies. Others from Listuguj, like Craig Isaac, danced.

The Pow Wow, and all the other First Nation’s driven initiatives are coming out of the Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre. As the director, and former Chief of Tobique First Nation, David Perley and his wife Imelda Perley – the Elder in Residence -have been working to make the University more inclusive.

“Everything that we’re doing here is based on a vision that’s been formulated in consultation with the elders of First Nations communities, and First Nation education directors, and so on,” said David Perley.

Perley said there are three main components to what they’re trying to achieve at the university. (Read about them online in the full story on news.listuguj.ca) For the Project Coordinator of the Pow Wow, Starlit Simon of Elsipogtog First Nation, the recent changes have been “refreshing.”

“Now it’s kind of like everyone is so interested,” she said. “Everybody wants to know, they want to know more about our history, more about our culture.”

For Martin-Mitchell, these trends and the diversity of people who attended the Pow Wow is directly meeting the goal.  “That’s what we wanted,” she said. “Sharing our culture with other nations, right.”

Martin-Mitchell and her husband Brandon Mitchell — also from Listuguj — are both graduating on May 19th from the Bachelor of Integrated Studies Program, but will remain a volunteer at the MWC.

DAVID PERLEY

For David Perley, it’s good to be surrounded by people who support what he’s trying to do. As the Director of the Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre, he has been helping develop initiatives around the University. He says there are three main components.

1st Component

“Mi’gmaq and Wolastoqey worldviews, histories, philosophies, knowledge bases, traditions, and contributions will flourish within UNB grounds. Either within the curriculum, or of course, UNB in general”

2nd Component

“I’m a strong believer that when our Mi’gmaq and Wolastoqey graduates leave here, they should also have a strong cultural foundation.

So having an education doesn’t mean you have to abandon your identity. What we want to do here is reinforce that identity, so that students know they have something to be proud of — that could be Mi’gmaq identity, or that could be the Wolastoqey identity. But when they leave here, they will have that strong cultural foundation. So when I see  our graduates walking across the that stage to get their diplomas and degrees, then I know that student has a strong cultural foundation. ”

3rd Component

“We have to ensure that our faculty members – doesn’t matter which faculty it is – they should know something about Mi’gmaq Wolastoqey histories, traditions, worldviews, contributions, and knowledge bases, and so on.

They should have some knowledge about that. So what we want to do is educate them on those aspects of Mi’gmaq/Wolastoqey societies and ensure that they, hopefully, have a better understanding of Mi’gmaq/Wolastoqey societies.

As a matter of fact, one of the initiatives that we’re now planning is cultural immersion for faculty members. So I’m hoping that sometime this late spring, or summer, we’ll have at least one week with them, and then they’ll be immersed in the culture of our ancestors.

I would like for the faculty members to know at least the greetings in Mi’gmaq and Wolastoqey languages. So we’ll have Mi’gmaq or Wolastoqey elders who will come and teach them about the greetings in their languages.

Another one would be to ensure that they also take part in ceremonies. As I mentioned to my colleagues, I keep on saying that it’s nice to read about those ceremonies, but what’s more important is for you to take part in those ceremonies, so this way you have a deeper understanding, because when you read something, it gives you a superficial understanding of the ceremony, but if you take part then it has a whole new meaning.”

 

The application in the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench in Campbellton to stop the Chaleur Terminals Inc. project in Belledune will proceed on March 14 and 15.  It has been delayed from the original date, Jan. 18.

People are encouraged to attend.

The project could see up to 220 rail cars of oil per day pass along the Restigouche River to a tank farm in Belledune, where nearly a million barrels of oil could be held. The project was developing without proper consultation with the Mi’gmaq communities, says Troy Jerome, the Executive Director of the MMS.

The application was filed by the MMS on behalf of the communities it represents, as well as Chief Scott Martin personally. Both Chaleur Terminals Inc, and the province of New Brunswick are named as respondents. 

Chaleur Terminals Inc has stated that it didn’t want this delay. Jerome said nothing was filed as the original court date approached.

“We’re trying to prepare a case, and it’s hard to prepare a case when we don’t know what they said,” Jerome said.

Affidavits have been filed by experts, and the legal team continues to prepare.

“It seems like we’re on track,” Jerome said.