Burnt Church-2000/08/29-CPT Archives

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Archives

CPTnet
August 29, 2000
ESGENO'PETITJ (Burnt Church, N.B.) DFO officers endanger life of three year old child and parents

Two Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) vessels circled around a small boat containing a young child and his parents when they were on their way home from a late afternoon boat ride Saturday, August 26, 2000 shortly after 7 p.m. For no apparent reason, about a kilometre from the shore of this Mi' kmaq community the much larger DFO Zodiacs endangered the lives of this three-year-old child and his parents by creating turbulence in the ocean waters, according to fisheries officers from the Listiguj First Nation.

Listiguj Ranger Forest Condo witnessed the actions of the DFO vessels and accompanied the small boat with Jason Barnaby and his family to shore.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member William Payne was at the wharf to hear the visibly shaking father of the three year old boy as he recounted the above events. Mr. Barnaby, a Burnt Church resident, expressed great distress that he could not even take his family for a short boat ride to teach his son how to rod fish mackerel without having their lives endangered by government officials.

A second Ranger boat driven by Listiguj officer David Nepinak and crewed by Esgeno'petitj Fishing Guardian Thelma Metallic was about to join the first Ranger boat when a third DFO vessel driven by DFO Officer Louis Breault attempted to ram the Ranger vessel broadside. Mr. Nepinak explained that he turned his boat in order to avoid being hit, only to see the DFO vessel alter course to still attempt a collision. Quick manoeuvering by the Ranger boat avoided what would certainly have been the sinking of the vessel. Mr. Nepinak told CPTer William Payne that he saw the bow of the much bigger boat over his head as he steered clear of it.

Members of the CPT New Brunswick team currently include William Payne (Toronto, ON), Janet Shoemaker (Goshen, IN), Lena Siegers (Brussels, ON) and John Finlay (Walkerton, ON). CPT has come by invitation of the people of ESGENO' PETITJ to accompany the First Nations people as they struggle for respect and for the recognition of their right to fish.
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Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches. CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 tel. 312-455-1199 FAX 312-432-1213, E-Mail cpt@igc.org WEB www.prairienet.org/cpt


		Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Archives CPTnet August 29, 2000 ESGENO'PETITJ (Burnt Church, N.B.) DFO officers endanger life of three year old child and parents Two Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) vessels circled around a small boat containing a young child and his parents when they were on their way home from a late afternoon boat ride Saturday, August 26, 2000 shortly after 7 p.m. For no apparent reason, about a kilometre from the shore of this Mi' kmaq community the much larger DFO Zodiacs endangered the lives of this three-year-old child and his parents by creating turbulence in the ocean waters, according to fisheries officers from the Listiguj First Nation. Listiguj Ranger Forest Condo witnessed the actions of the DFO vessels and accompanied the small boat with Jason Barnaby and his family to shore. Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member William Payne was at the wharf to hear the visibly shaking father of the three year old boy as he recounted the above events. Mr. Barnaby, a Burnt Church resident, expressed great distress that he could not even take his family for a short boat ride to teach his son how to rod fish mackerel without having their lives endangered by government officials. A second Ranger boat driven by Listiguj officer David Nepinak and crewed by Esgeno'petitj Fishing Guardian Thelma Metallic was about to join the first Ranger boat when a third DFO vessel driven by DFO Officer Louis Breault attempted to ram the Ranger vessel broadside. Mr. Nepinak explained that he turned his boat in order to avoid being hit, only to see the DFO vessel alter course to still attempt a collision. Quick manoeuvering by the Ranger boat avoided what would certainly have been the sinking of the vessel. Mr. Nepinak told CPTer William Payne that he saw the bow of the much bigger boat over his head as he steered clear of it. Members of the CPT New Brunswick team currently include William Payne (Toronto, ON), Janet Shoemaker (Goshen, IN), Lena Siegers (Brussels, ON) and John Finlay (Walkerton, ON). CPT has come by invitation of the people of ESGENO' PETITJ to accompany the First Nations people as they struggle for respect and for the recognition of their right to fish. ____________________ Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches. CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 tel. 312-455-1199 FAX 312-432-1213, E-Mail cpt@igc.org WEB www.prairienet.org/cpt