Burnt Church-2000/09/08-CPT Archives

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Archives

CPTNET
ESGENOOPETITJ - Fisheries Trials Held Over
September 8, 2000
by Doug Pritchard

On September 7 in the courtroom at Néguac, New Brunswick, 6 trials involving 15 Mi'kmaq fishers and 3 members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were held over for another month to allow the defendants more time to prepare. The charges include illegal fishing, obstruction of fisheries officers, and assault during incidents ranging from May 6 to August 29. They stem from attempts by lobster fishers at Esgenoôpetitj First Nation to exercise their treaty right to fish under their own Fishery Act despite claims by Canada's Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans that it alone controls all fishing.

An earlier request by CPTer William Payne to have a Mi'kmaq translator at his trial, since the courtroom was overflowing with persons whose first language was Mi'kmaq, was denied. The Judge ruled that translation is only provided for witnesses and defendants, not observers in court. Payne and CPTer Bob Holmes must now appear in court in Miramichi NB September 29 to set a date for trial.

The 15 Mi'kmaq defendants and CPTer Doug Pritchard are to return to Néguac court October 5 to enter pleas and set dates for trial. In response to the defendants' request for delay, the judge remarked, "Eventually you are going to have to set a trial date."

CPT has maintained a violence-reduction team at esgenoôpetitj since April 2000. Members of the current team include Jamey Bouwmeester (Elgin IL), Joel Klassen (Kitchener ON), William Payne (Toronto ON), Pierre Shantz (Blainville QC), Janet Shoemaker (Goshen IN), and Lena Siegers (Blyth ON).
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Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative among Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations and Friends Meetings that supports violence reduction efforts around the world. Contact CPT, PO Box 72063, 1562
Danforth Ave., Toronto ON M4J 5C1, ph 416-421-7079, fax 416-467-1508, email guest.60139@MennoLink.org; or CPT, POB 6508 Chicago, IL 60680, ph 312-455-1199, fax 312-432-1213, email cpt@igc.org. To join CPTNET send an e-mail to admin@MennoLink.org and the message: Group: menno.org.cpt.news

Visit us on the WEB: http://www.prairienet.org/cpt

-------------------------------------------------------
Doug Pritchard
Canada Coordinator
Christian Peacemaker Teams

No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.


		Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Archives CPTNET ESGENOOPETITJ - Fisheries Trials Held Over September 8, 2000 by Doug Pritchard On September 7 in the courtroom at Néguac, New Brunswick, 6 trials involving 15 Mi'kmaq fishers and 3 members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were held over for another month to allow the defendants more time to prepare. The charges include illegal fishing, obstruction of fisheries officers, and assault during incidents ranging from May 6 to August 29. They stem from attempts by lobster fishers at Esgenoôpetitj First Nation to exercise their treaty right to fish under their own Fishery Act despite claims by Canada's Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans that it alone controls all fishing. An earlier request by CPTer William Payne to have a Mi'kmaq translator at his trial, since the courtroom was overflowing with persons whose first language was Mi'kmaq, was denied. The Judge ruled that translation is only provided for witnesses and defendants, not observers in court. Payne and CPTer Bob Holmes must now appear in court in Miramichi NB September 29 to set a date for trial. The 15 Mi'kmaq defendants and CPTer Doug Pritchard are to return to Néguac court October 5 to enter pleas and set dates for trial. In response to the defendants' request for delay, the judge remarked, "Eventually you are going to have to set a trial date." CPT has maintained a violence-reduction team at esgenoôpetitj since April 2000. Members of the current team include Jamey Bouwmeester (Elgin IL), Joel Klassen (Kitchener ON), William Payne (Toronto ON), Pierre Shantz (Blainville QC), Janet Shoemaker (Goshen IN), and Lena Siegers (Blyth ON). ____________________________________________ Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative among Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations and Friends Meetings that supports violence reduction efforts around the world. Contact CPT, PO Box 72063, 1562 Danforth Ave., Toronto ON M4J 5C1, ph 416-421-7079, fax 416-467-1508, email guest.60139@MennoLink.org; or CPT, POB 6508 Chicago, IL 60680, ph 312-455-1199, fax 312-432-1213, email cpt@igc.org. To join CPTNET send an e-mail to admin@MennoLink.org and the message: Group: menno.org.cpt.news Visit us on the WEB: http://www.prairienet.org/cpt ------------------------------------------------------- Doug Pritchard Canada Coordinator Christian Peacemaker Teams No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.