On Ontario Conservative MP called the Liberal government response slow on the Nova Scotia lobster fishery dispute during an emergency debate Monday night.
MP Eric Melillo condemned the “terrible acts of violence” in Nova Scotia and called for the Liberal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to mediate the dispute.
Melillo stated that a lack of action has allowed tensions to rise to dangerous levels.
“The RCMP have been involved – there are now people who are asking the military to get involved. I think that there are many members on this side of the House that now want to know, what is it going to take for this government to get involved to ensure that there’s a peaceful solution right now, and in the longer term?”
Sydney-Victoria Liberal MP Jaime Battiste responded by saying that Mi’kmaq leadership are “quite afraid of an increased presence of military in that area.”
Meanwhile, Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack has been calling for military intervention.
MP Battiste did not say whether Minister Bernadette Jordan would be sent in to negotiate.
Disputes between Mi’kmaq lobster fishers asserting their treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood and commercial fishers have erupted in violence in Nova Scotia, requiring heavy RCMP presence.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has stated that the escalation could have been averted had the government acted to facilitate negotiations last month.
The Conservatives were critical of the Liberal government’s decision to call an unnecessary emergency debate.
Melillo called the debate “pure political theatre” and accused the Liberals of using it as a stalling tactic.
“The Liberals have the power to resolve this dispute right now. There’s nothing to debate – Minister Jordan needs to go to Nova Scotia to sit down with all parties and a peaceful resolution.”
