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Tensions between the Nova Scotia government and First Nations leaders flared up over the weekend amid a continuing debate over jurisdiction in Indigenous communities.
Premier Tim Houston says blocking highways “is never acceptable” after protesters set up multiple blockades in reaction to an RCMP raid on an unregulated Indigenous cannabis shop in Cape Breton.
“The unlawful obstruction of others is not peaceful. It undermines public safety, respect for law enforcement and the rule of law itself,” he wrote in a social media post Saturday evening.
“Our roadways are our lifeblood. At any given time, people are travelling for critical reasons such as getting to medical appointments, hospitals, work and caring for their families.”
Houston made the comments after leaders of Potlotek First Nation, where the raid took place Thursday, rejected an RCMP description of the protests as an “illegal blockade.”
Potlotek said in a news release that blocking Highway 4 after the storefront raid was instead a “powerful demonstration of unity and solidarity across our Nation” — without giving a specific legal rationale.
Two men were arrested and product was seized by the RCMP on Thursday morning, the latest in Nova Scotia’s ongoing crackdown on unregulated marijuana.
After protesters blocked the highway with heavy equipment, officers abandoned seven RCMP vehicles and left on foot. Six of the vehicles were damaged when police retrieved them the next morning.
Blockades of varying degrees were also reported on Highway 102 near Shubenacadie, Highway 105 at Whycocomagh and Exit 36B of Highway 104.
Potlotek First Nation leaders said Saturday they don’t condone vandalism and asked anyone with information related to the damaged vehicles to speak to authorities.
Houston said in his post that RCMP officers should be supported, and respected, not confronted.
“The treatment of the RCMP that we have seen is not acceptable. They are doing their job to uphold the law and keep Nova Scotians safe,” he wrote.
Dispute over treaty rights
Some people are encouraging confrontation with police, promoting blockades and creating dangerous situations with risk, he added.
In its statement, Potlotek named Houston in a direct message saying “enforcement without respect for Mi’kmaw jurisdiction does not create safety.”
“It creates conflict, increases tension, and places public safety at risk.”
Houston maintained there is no recognized treaty right to sell cannabis. He said the unregulated market is dangerous because of packaging that looks like candy, high THC levels and a lack of oversight.
The premier called on First Nations leadership to work with the province to “move towards safe, regulated dispensaries in communities where profits can stay in the community.”
But for many Mi’kmaw leaders, it’s not just about unlicensed shops.
“Time and again, Mi’kmaq are forced to respond when provincial laws and enforcement actions are imposed on our communities without respect for our rights, our leadership or our authority,” Potlotek said in a news release.
“What continues to unfold is part of a broader pattern of infringement on Mi’kmaw rights within Mi’kma’ki.”
Potlotek First Nation Chief Wilbert Marshall did not respond to a request for comment Sunday.
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