P.E.I. announces new rights education initiative for 2nd Treaty Day

P.E.I. is moving forward with a new initiative to educate Islanders about the Peace and Friendship Treaties.

The agreements between the British and the Mi'kmaq were signed in the 1700s as a framework for co-existence. The treaties highlighted hunting and fishing rights as well as obligations for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments.

"I think that people need to understand the treaties and that we're all treaty people,"said Chief Darlene Bernard of Lennox Island First Nation."This is about everybody. Your ancestors signed that treaty as well as mine."

P.E.I.'s second annual Treaty Day was celebrated Thursday with a flag raising and agovernment announcement on thenew treaty education initiativemade during a ceremony at the provincial government courtyard by Rochford Street.

Education as path forward

The event opened with a prayer by Mi'kmaq elder Jimmy Bernard and closedwith the sounds of theRedstone drumming group ringing out.

It was alsoan opportunity to hear from thechiefsrepresenting P.E.I.'s two First Nations about the importance of those historic treaties and how they are applied today.

"Itfeels good that in the sense that we're moving forward in a positive manner," said Chief Junior Gould ofAbegweit First Nation.

"Seeing the Mi'kmaq flag flying here as well as in Nova Scotia and other areas there is a time and place for everything and this is a good time and a good place for the Mi'kmaq flag to be flying."

'Peace and Friendship' treaties remain as relevant today as when they were signed 260 years ago, Mi'kmaq leaders say

4 years ago

Duration 4:19

'Many people feel the treaties are a thing of the past,' but that's not so, says Jenene Wooldridge of Mi'kmaq rights initiative L'nuey.

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King was also on hand to speak about the rapportbetween the provincialgovernment and the Mi'kmaq leaders.

"I feel that the relationship that we have been building with our First Nations here in Prince Edward Island has been strong," said King.

"When we talked last year about having and recognizing formally Treaty Day, this is kind of what I had in mind.It was just important to recognize our pastbut also use it as a springboard to where we go in the future."

The newly announced treaty education initiative will be brought forward by the province's Indigenous relations secretariatin partnership with L'nuey the P.E.I.Mi'kmaqrights initiative.

The premier said it is still in early stages, but the goal is to improve education around the understanding oftreaty rights across P.E.I.,"to haveIslanders have a better understanding of Section 35[of the Constitution Act]and Mi'kmaq treaty rights here in Prince Edward Island with the ultimate goal, obviously, of making sure that history and understanding is shared through our learning curriculum across Prince Edward Island."

He said the partnership would also "begin steps more broadly to share a Mi'kmaqlanguage in our schools."

The right to fish

Treaty rights have beena topic of discussionin the Maritime provinces in recent weeks as theSipekne'katik First Nation launched its ownMi'kmaw-regulated, rights-based lobster fishery in St. Mary's Bay, N.S. It'sbelieved to be the first of its kind in Nova Scotia.

In response, hundreds of non-Indigenous commercial fishermenconfronted the Indigenous fishermen two weeks agoand removed Mi'kmaw lobster traps.

Both chiefs involved in Thursday's ceremony in Charlottetownhave previously said they also intend to launch a livelihood fishery in P.E.I.

Gould said he is open to discussing the issue and educating anyone on any platform or medium to get the word out aboutMi'kmaq rights in the region. He also said he isplanning to meet with the Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association on Friday to discuss the issue of the Indigenous right to a moderate livelihood from the fishery.

"The engagement process is not permission. We have been supported by the Supreme Court of Canadahaving aright to do so," Gould said.

"It's an education process. Well, I will bring them up to speed because their government has failed to do so."

Gould saidthe concern is not with the provincial government or other Island fishermen, but with the federal government for what he calls not dealing in good faith with Indigenous communities in regards to treaty rights and defininga moderate livelihood fishery for P.E.I.'s First Nations.

L'nuey had posted a video in advance of Treaty Day based on the artwork of Mi'kmaq artist Loretta Gould.

Bernard said the video was very well done with beautiful artwork to help makelearning about the treaty easy to understand.

"We need to target the next generation on both sides and we actually have to take out that 'both sides,'erase those colonial lines," said Bernard.

"We have to say to our children in this province, Mi'kmaq and non-Mi'kmaq... you don't have to fear these treaties."

Here are a few Mi'kmaqwords and pronouncers used on P.E.I. as provided by L'nuey:

• Kwe' Hello pronounced gway.
• L'nuey Belonging to or pertaining to the Mi'kmaq people pronounced ull-noo-ey.
• Epekwitk Prince Edward Island pronounced ehb-uh-gwihd.
• Mi'kma'ki Traditional land of the Mi'kmaq pronounced m-ig-ma-gee.
• Wela'lin Thank you pronounced weh-lah-lin.

More from CBC P.E.I.