History, Salmon Nets and Mi'kmaq People

On Tuesday, August 15, 1995 two men from the Glenwood Mi'kmaq Indian Band set a single salmon net across the Gander River. Setting the net was illegal. The men who set the net knew this. They broke the law on purpose. When the river wardens came the Mi'kmaq men did not run. They did not try to hide what they were doing. They did not argue or fight with the wardens. They wanted to get arrested. They wanted to go to court.

Tony John and Jim John weren't trying to catch any fish. They set the net to make a point. They believe the Mi'kmaq people of Newfoundland have a historical right to fish for food. They also believe Mi'kmaq people have the right to set their own hunting, trapping and fishing rules in this province—a right that is different from the rights of Newfoundlanders who are not native people. This is called aboriginal rights.

Their protest angered some of their neighbours. Fishing guides from the Glenwood area also use the Gander River. They make their living by taking people on salmon fishing trips. The guides believe the Mi'kmaq claims could destroy their business. They say Mi'kmaq people should have to follow the same wildlife rules as other Newfoundlanders.

The Evening Telegram reported that this issue had divided the community into "white men" and "damn Indians."² A petition against native fishing rights was sent around the town. As one Glenwood resident put it: "We are all people of this community, but now the line is there."³

In a letter to the Evening Telegram, the chief of the Conne River Mi'kmaq band defended the Glenwood band's actions. Michael Joe said that Mi'kmaq people would not back down. "An informed citizen will not only see the historical and legal fairness in Mi'kmaq aboriginal rights but also come to understand its moral fairness," he wrote. "We will not change or go away."⁴

The Mi'kmaq people of Newfoundland believe they come from a group of ancient native people. They lived here at least a thousand years ago. They are part of a larger Mi'kmaq nation. It is spread across the Atlantic provinces. Their relatives in Cape Breton came to the island to fish and hunt. But a small group of Mi'kmaq people always lived in Newfoundland.