CBC News
Webposted
TABUSINTAC, N.B.
Nov. 7, 2000

Fishing dispute campaign issue for Alliance 

The Canadian Alliance fisheries critic is using the
native lobster fishing dispute to convince non-native fishermen to
vote for the party's candidate in Miramichi. 

Commercial fishermen want one set of fishing rights for everybody and
that's what they were promised Monday night in Tabusintac. 

Close to 40 people, mostly non-native fishers,
gathered in the community hall in Tabusintac. 

The community is just a few kilometres up the road from Burnt
Church, where natives took a stand and fished lobster out of the legal
season this fall. 

The memory of the tension is still fresh in people's minds, including
that of John Cummins, the Alliance fishery critic. "The issue that I
know interests most of you, or many of you, is the issue of the
fishery," he said. 

Cummins criticized the Liberal government's handling of the dispute.
"The fault of it lies clearly at the feet of the minister," he says. "The
trouble began on day one when he refused to haul the unmarked
traps, which were in excess of what he legally prescribed." 

Cummins says an Alliance government supports one set of rules for
everyone. And that's exactly what Robbie Whishart, a local fisherman,
says he wanted to hear. 

"I think it's a good thing that we got this Alliance party to protect
us," he says. 

John Cummins says he also supported commercial fishermen in their
attempts to sieze native traps, saying no charges should be filed
against any of them for helping to stop illegal fishing.