NS – Ku'ku'kwes News

Charges withdrawn against fishermen in elver eel dispute

May 3, 2024 Megan James

Charges against two fish harvesters who were involved in a violent altercation over the elver eel fishery in April 2023 were withdrawn in Halifax Provincial Court on April 18. Crown attorney Ben Hoskins informed Judge […]

Mi’kmaw leaders accuse DFO of racism after fishermen were forced to walk at night without phones, shoes

April 3, 2024 Maureen Googoo

Mi’kmaw leaders are accusing Fishery and Oceans Canada, or DFO, of systemic racism after two Mi’kmaw fishermen from Unama’ki (Cape Breton) were forced to walk along the highway at night without their phones and shoes […]

NS judge dismisses fishery obstruction charges against two Mi’kmaw men

March 25, 2024 Maureen Googoo

A Nova Scotia judge dismissed fishery obstruction charges against two Mi’kmaw men who were transporting crates of lobsters from the Saulnierville wharf in September 2021. Provincial Court Judge Brad Sarson found that the two fishery […]

Fisheries Court Cases Roundup: Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 2024

March 1, 2024 Maureen Googoo

February 26: Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court Ashton Bernard, 34, from Eskasoni First Nation Ashton Bernard’s lawyer appeared on his behalf via phone in Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court on February 26 regarding fishery offences dating back […]

Fisheries Court Cases Roundup: February 19-23, 2024

February 22, 2024 Maureen Googoo

February 20-21: Dartmouth Provincial Court Daniel Francis, 45, from Pictou Landing First Nation Trent Francis, 33, from Pictou Landing First Nation A two-day trial got underway for Daniel Francis and Trent Francis in Dartmouth Provincial […]

Fisheries Court Cases Roundup: February 5-9, 2024

February 9, 2024 Maureen Googoo

February 7: Bridgewater Provincial Court Ashton Bernard, 34, from Eskasoni First Nation Arden Bernard, 25, from Eskasoni First Nation Rayen Francis, 25, from Pictou Landing First Nation Zachery Nicholas, 37, from Pictou Landing First Nation […]

Fisheries Court Cases Roundup: January 29 – February 2, 2024

February 2, 2024 Maureen Googoo

January 29: Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court Ashton Bernard, 33, from Eskasoni First Nation Lawyer Alex McKillop joined court via phone on behalf of his client, Ashton Bernard, before Judge Laurel Halfpenny-MacQuarrie for a status update. […]

Fisheries Court Cases Roundup: January 22-26, 2024

January 26, 2024 Maureen Googoo

January 22: Digby Provincial Court Eight Mi’kmaw fishermen from Sipekne’katik and Eskasoni First Nations were scheduled to appear in Digby Provincial Court on January 22. Levi Toney, 29, from Sipekne’katik First Nation Levi Toney is […]

Fishery court cases roundup: Jan. 15-19, 2024

January 19, 2024 Maureen Googoo

Jan. 15: Jordan Chasse, George Denny, Nathan Toney and Jonathan Johnson The fishery trial for Jordan Chasse, George Denny, Nathan Toney and Jonathan Johnson in Digby Provincial Court was adjourned on Jan. 15 due to […]

Fishery court cases roundup: Jan. 8-12, 2024

January 12, 2024 Maureen Googoo

Jan. 8: Cory Francis A new fishery charge against Cory Francis, 54, was withdrawn during a court hearing in Digby Provincial Court on Jan. 8. Francis, a member of the Wasoqopa’q (Acadia) First Nation, was […]

Fishery court cases roundup: Jan. 2-5, 2024

January 5, 2024 Maureen Googoo

There were three fishery-related court cases in Nova Scotia provincial courts this week. All of them involve Mi’kmaw fishermen challenging fishery-related charges against them on constitutional grounds. The hearings this week mostly dealt with pre-trial […]

Former Sipekne’katik Chief charged with assault in two separate cases

January 3, 2024 Maureen Googoo

The former chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia is facing assault charges in two separate cases. Michael Patrick Sack, 42, is charged with aggravated assault for allegedly wounding another man at or […]

“We can’t use our treaty rights to fish.” Mi’kmaw fishermen upset with fines following sentencing circle for fishery offences

December 18, 2023 Maureen Googoo

Two Mi’kmaw fishermen from the Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia are upset with the amount of fines they received following a sentencing circle for lobster fishing out of season. A provincial court judge […]

List of 54 Mi’kmaw fishers charged with fishery offences

September 25, 2023 Maureen Googoo

Editor’s note: Several of these court cases have been updated since this list was initially published on Sept. 25, 2023. Ku’ku’kwes News has been tracking the court cases of 54 Mi’kmaw fish harvesters from Nova […]

More than 50 Mi’kmaw fishers charged with fishery offences in Nova Scotia courts

September 25, 2023 Maureen Googoo

More than 50 Mi’kmaw fish harvesters from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are currently before the courts in Nova Scotia on fishery-related offences. The charges range from fishing for lobster or elver eels without authorization, […]