Lobster-dispute costs pegged at $13-million

The Globe and Mail
Wednesday, April 4, 2001

Ottawa. The federal Fisheries Department spent $13-million trying to stop native fishermen from taking lobster off Burnt Church, N.B., and Indian Brook, N.S., last year.

Fisheries Minister Herb Dhaliwal revealed the figure yesterday at a Commons committee.

It does not include the cost of a sizable RCMP role in confrontations over native fishing rights, he said.

The money is separate from other enforcement budgets, coming directly from $160-million allocated to address a Supreme Court of Canada decision recognizing 240-year-old treaty rights, Mr. Dhaliwal told the fisheries committee.

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