Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

To The Editor:

        During a recent trip to my hometown of Miramichi, I decided to visit the Burnt Church reserve to witness first-hand their struggle with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

        Any other year I would have opted for Escuminac, a fishing village on the opposite side of the bay, to enjoy their fine beach and discuss with others the opulence of nearby homes. The entire area is obviously well-off financially with its beautiful homes, prominent wharves, impressive fishing fleet and hefty Employment Insurance checks during the off-season. By contrast the most impressive thing about Burnt Church is its view of Miramichi Bay.

        Driving through the reserve on Aug. 21, I saw one small wharf, very modest housing, and a prominent sign: "drive slowly, we love our children."

        I also saw the remnants of a highway blockade, but what spoke to me the loudest was the native woman who stopped to help after I had parked my car near the reserve and lost my keys.

        Despite the illusion that native fishermen are the perpetrators in this dispute, by visiting both sides of Miramichi Bay one can clearly see who is a threat to whom.

        It is obvious the non-Native fishermen enjoy the lion's share of the industry and the Burnt Church fishery is about as threatening to them as a mouse to a cat. How much lobster would have to be caught to maintain the Escuminac homes, compared to that needed for the "moderate livelihood" currently being denied the Native fishermen as they struggle to get by? How much pressure on DFO to crack down on Burnt Church originates from the nice homes across the bay?

        The truth is that Burnt Church is being used as a scapegoat, and the real issue is not fishing rights but racial intolerance of people who are misusing the media to camouflage their own greed, arrogance and hatred.

        If the non-Native fishermen aren't satisfied with their fishery, their problem is not with Brunt Church, but the people who make so much profit from the industry that they can live like royalty. While the children of Burnt Church bear the brunt of this injustice, their parents have no choice but to fight against overwhelming odds on their behalf, and everything to lose if they don't. They desperately need compassion and support, not indifference.

Maxine Dickie
Maitland, N.S.