No charges against DFO officers who rammed boat

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Native leaders in the Maritimes were furious when they heard the news that there would be no charges filed against the Department of Fisheries and Oceans crew members of the boat that rammed a much smaller fishing boat full of Burnt Church First Nation members on Aug. 29, 2000.

The event was captured on videotape by Burnt Church member Rick Dedam and shown widely, generating an almost unanimous expression of outrage among viewers across the country and around the world.

Native observers in the region remember that John Dedam, who threw a rock at an officer the same day, was sentenced to three years for assault. They wonder about the fairness of the justice system.

The RCMP consulted with the New Brunswick attorney general's office before deciding there was not enough evidence to go forward with charges.

Atlantic First Nation chiefs issued an outraged public statement after they learned Attorney General Brad Green and the RCMP had decided not to charge the DFO officers.

"The whole world watched in disbelief on television as a DFO boat purposely ran over the boat of a Mi'kmaq fisherman on that day and the attorney general has the nerve to announce that there isn't sufficient evidence to have the DFO officers charged," said Atlantic Policy Conference (APC) co-chair Chief Second Peter Barlow.

John Dedam's conviction appears to be unjust in light of the decision to not charge the DFO officers, said another chief.

"It's unfortunate that both these incidents took place, but it shows how the system is two-tiered when the Mi'kmaq person is made to pay for his actions and the DFO officers aren't," said the APC's other co-chair Chief Lawrence Paul.

The chiefs said they are concerned that this decision may hamper future discussions about fisheries management with the DFO. They are also concerned that Native people in the region will lose faith in the RCMP.

"If this incident had involved a Mi'kmaq boat ramming one of their boats, they would have had the Mi'kmaq charged and convicted by now, but it's not the case here. It shows a two-tiered justice system in this situation and it does concern us," said Barlow. "We will continue to encourage discussions towards long-term solutions to fisheries management, but this injustice to the Mi'kmaq of Burnt Church will only hamper an already fragile relationship between the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet and Passamaquoddy Nations and DFO."

"It's difficult to understand that the attorney general of New Brunswick, who also happens to be the minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Brad Green, can allow this injustice to fall through the cracks," said Paul. "It is discouraging to see this happening and I hope it doesn't adversely affect the fisheries."