Mi’kmaw chiefs in Nova Scotia are demanding a moratorium on RCMP raids on cannabis stores in their communities.
The call from Maw-lukutijik Saqmaq, also known as the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, comes after First Nations communities blocked a number of provincial highways in protest last week.
Premier Tim Houston called the blockades “unlawful” in a social media post, but the assembly said in a release today that all Canadians have a right to protest under the Charter.
Police have increased raids on what they call illegal cannabis shops, mostly in Mi’kmaw communities, since the province issued a directive calling for a crackdown in December.
First Nations leaders have criticized the raids, saying they have a treaty right to sell cannabis.
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The assembly says it wants a moratorium on raids until they’ve had a chance to have “real nation-to-nation” talks with the province.
“We have long offered solutions to the provincial government on how Mi’kmaq could exercise our right to self-govern and still be transparent with them on how we intended to manage the sale of cannabis in our communities, but Nova Scotia has not been open to having any conversations with Mi’kmaw leadership,” assembly co-chair and Glooscap First Nation Chief Sidney Peters said in a statement.
Provincial government officials did not immediately provide comment Thursday.
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