• Council of Canadians applauds Elsipogtog’s sovereignty declaration

    Press Release

    Council of Canadians, Fredericton Chapter


    Council of Canadians applauds Elsipogtog’s sovereignty declaration

    FREDERICTON – The Mi’kmaq Chief and council of Elsipogtog First Nations issued a statement on Tuesday vowing to protect our land, water, and air from mining companies like SWN Resources Canada. SWN Resources was also told by Chief and council to leave the province. The Maliseet Chief of Saint Mary’s First Nations concurred.

    “We proudly stand by our Aboriginal brothers and sisters on this issue,” says Julia Linke, member of the Fredericton Chapter of the Council of Canadians.

    “It is difficult to imagine how this could come as a surprise to anybody,” says Alma Brooks, Traditional Clan Mother Wolastoqiyik of the Wabanaki Confederacy.

    Next Monday, October 7th marks the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 states that lands not ceded to, by treaty or purchased by, the Crown, are reserved for First Nations.
    “The elected and hereditary leaders of Elsipogtog and the Signigtog district,” says Andrea Bear Nicholas, Retired Chair of Native Studies, St.Thomas University, “are therefore re-asserting their obligations as rightful stewards over Crown lands which they believe are continuously being mis-managed by Canada, the province, and corporations.”
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  • Funding appeal by the Plants, Swimmers, Flyers, Crawlers, and Four-legged creatures of Mount Carleton Provincial Park

    La version française suit la version anglaise.


    Funding appeal by the Plants, Swimmers, Flyers, Crawlers, and Four-legged creatures of Mount Carleton Provincial Park

    We are the plants, swimmers, flyers, crawlers, and four-legged creatures of the park, whose ancestors have lived in this part of Wolastokuk (Maliseet homeland) for thousands of years.  Our wish for now is to have a New Brunswick court of law designate this part of Wolastokuk—our homeland—as our sanctuary.

    Members of our extended families, the Kci-Putuwosultihtit Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet Grand Council), will bring our case before the court later this month. The Wolastoqewiyik (Maliseet people) have been, and always will be, our protectors. The Grand Chief of the Kci-Putuwosultihtit Wolastoqiyik, Ron Tremblay, will be joined by Jean Louis Deveau, a co-founder of the Friends of Mount Carleton and former manager of the park, who will intervene on our behalf. Our lawyer is Gordon Allen from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. 

    The struggle to preserve our home for All Our Relations by challenging in court the decision to turn our home into a snowmobile hub will take thousands of dollars of the plastic money used by two-legged creatures. The economy of the land, air, and water where we live, however, is based not on plastic money, but on sunlight. So, we don’t have plastic money used by two-leggeds and will need the help of friends like you to win this court challenge.

    So, this a special appeal to those of you compassionate two-legged creatures, who understand that we are all interconnected in the circle of life and who are sympathetic to preserving our way of life, here and/or elsewhere in Wolastokuk homeland, to donate your kind of money to help pay for our legal fees in court.

    Please make your donations, large or small, online via our Go Fund Me page or offline to the Maliseet Grand Council, c/o Alma Brooks, 50 Maliseet Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3A 2V9. 

    • • •

    Demande de fonds par les plantes, les créatures aquatiques, ailées, rampantes, et les créatures à quatre pattes du Parc provincial Mont-Carleton

    Nous sommes les plantes, les créatures aquatiques, ailées, rampantes ainsi que les créatures à quatre pattes vivant dans ce parc et dont les ancêtres ont vécu dans cette partie du territoire Wolastokuk (malécite) pendant des milliers d’années. Ce que nous voulons, aujourd’hui, c’est qu’un tribunal du Nouveau-Brunswick désigne cette partie de Wolastokuk – notre territoire - comme notre sanctuaire. 


    Des membres de nos familles élargies, le Kci-Putuwosultihtit Wolastoqiyik (Grand Conseil malécite),  soumettront notre cause au tribunal plus tard ce mois-ci. De tout temps, les Wolastoqewiyik (le peuple malécite) ont été nos protecteurs et ils le seront toujours. Le grand chef du Kci-Putuwosultihtit Wolastoqiyik, Ron Tremblay, accompagné de Jean Louis Deveau, un co-fondateur des Amis du mont Carleton et ancien directeur du parc, interviendra en notre nom. Notre avocat est Gordon Allen de Dartmouth en Nouvelle-Écosse. 


    Notre lutte pour préserver notre territoire pour toutes nos relations en contestant en cour la décision de transformer nos terres en un centre d’entretien centralisé pour motoneiges va coûter des milliers de dollars de la monnaie qu’utilisent les humains. L’économie de la terre, de l’air et de l’eau où nous habitons ne reposant pas sur le système monétaire des humains mais plutôt sur la lumière du soleil, nous ne disposons pas d’argent. 


    C’est pourquoi nous avons besoin de l’aide d’amis comme vous pour gagner cette bataille juridique. Nous vous lançons donc un appel à vous, créatures à deux pattes compatissantes, qui comprenez que nous sommes tous étroitement reliés dans le cercle de la vie et qui êtes favorables à la préservation de notre mode de vie ici ou ailleurs sur le territoire Wolastokuk, pour que vous nous aidiez, par vos dons, à défrayer nos frais juridiques.  


    Vos dons, peu importe le montant, peuvent être faits en ligne sur notre page Go Fund Me ou envoyés par la poste à Grand Conseil Malécite, a/s Alma Brooks, 50, promenade Maliseet, Fredericton, Nouveau-Brunswick, E3A 2V9.

  • Letter to the New Brunswick Hydraulic Fracturing Commission from the Maliseet Grand Council

    Attention: The New Brunswick Hydraulic Fracturing Commission

    Ancient Voices

    We are totally dependent on the Earth for life, and because of the arrogance of a superiority attitude, western society is headed in the wrong direction. As a consequence, climate change is here and people are in a panic. Grandchildren are asking, “What will happen to me?”

    What 200 year old prophesies said has now come to pass. People have disobeyed the natural laws of the universe, and are stubbornly determined to ignore the voices of reason and truth. The Earth governs all life here, and she will have no mercy.

    The Wolastokewinobk (Maliseet Grand Council) is the traditional decision-making structure of the Wolastokewiyik - the people of the beautiful river. We are the river people, indigenous to the entire St. John River watershed. Our Grand Council is made up of our clans, from the oldest to the youngest. We send these words to your commission on behalf of our extended families, as well as the deer, the moose, birds, fishes, and all other living things within our traditional territories. Our lands and waters have never been ceded or surrendered, therefore we are still the title holders.

    Canada, New Brunswick and big business have and continue to exploit and expropriate our traditional lands and resources amounting to categorical infringement on our right to use our land and hunt, fish, and gather. Currently the following industries are infringing on our Aboriginal and Treaty Rights:
    • All attempts to further the industry of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in our territory must stop immediately.
    First of all our people have not been adequately consulted, and in fact we have been abused and punished for taking a stand to protect our sacred lands and waters. Secondly, traditional stories in our language tell us of a time when there was great flooding on the river and the reversing falls was caused by an ancient earthquake. There is also historical evidence of major fault lines through the centre of our territory from earlier earth quakes which is what caused salt water lakes to form all the way up to central parts of the Province of New Brunswick. It is well known that ‘fracking’ causes earthquakes to happen, because of the lubricated, chemically laced cocktail that is pumped into the ground under extremely high pressure. There is too much of a risk to allow fracturing to take place here and we do not support this destructive industry. We request that you to put a stop to this detrimental activity in our homeland.
    • The Irving Forestry Companies have not only clear cut our forests, they are also spraying poisonous carcinogenic herbicides such as glyphosate all over ‘our land,’ to kill hardwood trees, and other green vegetation. Both human and animal health is at serious risk, not to mention leaving no food for the animals.
    Streams, brooks and creeks are drying up, causing the dwindling of Atlantic salmon and trout. Places where our people gather medicines, hunt deer and moose are being contaminated with poison. We were not warned about the use of these dangerous herbicides, but then cancer rates have been on the rise in Maliseet communities, especially breast cancers in women and younger people are dying from cancer.
    • Open Pit Mining for tungsten and molybdenum is another infringement on the rights of our people – archeology shows that our people have been there around 7000 years – the oldest period found in the heart of New Brunswick.
    This is Maliseet traditional territory and we have not been consulted. Open pit mines require tailing ponds, this one designated to be the largest in the world. It is well known that all tailing ponds have a high probability to breach their bounds, and definitely will seep out into the environment. A spill or leak from the Sisson Brook open pit mine will permanently contaminate the Nashwaak River, which is a tributary of the Wolastok (St. John River) and surrounding waterways. This is the only place left clean enough for the survival of the Atlantic salmon.
    • Oil pipelines and refineries are also among the current abominable schemes, bent on contaminating and destroying the very last inch of (Wblastokok) Maliseet territory.
    The above mentioned industries are just another layer of infringements on the aboriginal and treaty rights of the Wolastokewiyik. Rivers, lakes, streams, and lands have been contaminated already to the point that we are unable to gather our annual supply of fiddleheads, and medicines. This territory has never been ceded or surrendered by our people – yet not an inch of our land has been spared for our traditional use. Government and industry blindly and carelessly proceed to exploit and misappropriate Indigenous lands and resources to the point of extreme damage and destruction, and continue to ignored the concerns and protests of Indigenous peoples in New Brunswick.

    The Supreme Court of Canada has stated that all levels of government have a “duty to consult with aboriginal people” prior to the beginning of any project, or any other kind of land use, that would cause an infringement on the Indigenous rights of our people.

    The Wolastokewiyik (Maliseet People) - the Title Holders - have not been consulted on any of the above projects. Therefore governments and/or companies do not have our consent to proceed with hydro-fracturing, open pit mining, or the building of pipelines for gas and oil bitumen, on or across our traditional lands and waters.

    The duty to consult has become a meaningless process. Companies meet with INAC Chiefs, who’s jurisdiction is limited to within each of their respective reserves. Individuals are given a power point presentation, and then told the next step is accommodation. Question: then to the chief - What do you want?

    The majority of the people do not go to these meetings due to the manipulation of the process, and the lack of regard for collective rights. Collective rights require collective discussion and collective decision-making. The closest interpretation of our treaty and aboriginal right to consultation is written in international law: Free, Prior and informed consent.

    In conclusion, humans are supposed to be responsible and intelligent beings, who were given instruction on how to live on the earth.

    One of the oldest teachings about how to live on the land – “ wihkwelan tehpo eli powalbkw wblam keti sepowsowipbn” itbm Kelowbskap.” Take only what you need in order to live. Maintaining the balance of nature is the way to live on the earth. Arrogance is why we are going in the wrong direction. If we do not follow the spiritual laws of the universe, nature will take over. There will be no mercy in nature, only law.

    It is the Earth that governs life here – all life comes from the earth. You can have no value for resources that have been stolen. Greed, selfishness, and foolishness have taken over, and they have no value at all for life. Why else have become the enemy of the earth?

    Business as usual is over. Oil and Carbon is over. We will pay for damages by what is coming. Economies will be wrecked. If we continue to disregard the laws of nature the Earth will bring about the balance herself, through diseases, crisis events – etc. We have to change the way of living.

    Sincerely,

    Alma H. Brooks
    Grandmother, The Maliseet Grand Council

    October 15, 2015

  • Plants and Animals Take New Brunswick Government To Court

    Plants and Animals Take New Brunswick Government To Court

    Fredericton - When push comes to shove, as it has in the case of pending developments in New Brunswick’s only wilderness park, it’s always good to have allies with deep pockets.

    Such allies are being courted by concerned citizens who are taking the Province of New Brunswick to court over its management of Mount Carleton Wilderness Park near Nictau, N.B. 

    The proposal entails extending a network of snowmobile trails to the summit, park electrification and a gas bar, things the group opposing the project believes will damage the natural area and its wildlife.

    “We’ve turned to Go Fund Me, a crowd-source fundraising website, to gather the $15,000 needed to stop this development in court,” said Jean Louis Deveau, former park manager at Mount Carleton. 

    “The plants and animals cannot speak for themselves,” Deveau said. “With everything around the Park being clear cut, we cannot stand by and let this sanctuary be destroyed. We've raised over $13,000 in the past week so this clearly resonates with people.” 

    Grand Chief Ron Tremblay of the Traditional Maliseet Government has reached out to media outlets to cover this story. In an interview on CBC radio this week he argued strenuously that snowmobiles should not be allowed to expand their range in the park.

    “The commodification of this wild place through snowmobile tourism is not only incompatible with our values, tradition, and culture but will inevitably lead to conflicts between those who, like the Gallant Government, see the park as a place of business and those who, like us, see it as sacred,” said Tremblay. 

    A provincial court justice will hear arguments at the end of June in Moncton. Donors are urged to go to GoFundMe.com and search for ‘Plants & Animals Take on NB Gov’t’ to contribute towards the group's court expenses.
 © 2018 NBEN / RENB