The head of a French university in Nova Scotia and former Liberal provincial politician has been named as the federal special representative to rebuild trust between commercial and Indigenous fishers after violent opposition to a rights-based Mi'kmaw lobster fishery. "It is with great humility and enthusiasm that I begin my work as Federal Special Representative. Commercial fishers say they oppose the Sipekne'katik's fishery because it operates outside of the federally mandated season and they worry it will hurt lobster stocks in St. Marys Bay. Recent violent incidentsEarlier this month, several hundred commercial fishers and their supporters targeted and vandalized two facilities where Mi'kmaw fishers store their catch. A Digby County, N.S., man has also been charged after an assault on Sipekne'katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack.

Source: CBC News October 24, 2020 12:00 UTC