Manitoba fishermen decry federal grant snub
Commercial fishermen in Manitoba say they have been treated unfairly by the Canadian government in terms of providing income support for this year’s fishing season.
The federal government launched a program, the Fish Harvesters Grant, on May 14 announcing its support of up to $10,000 to self-employed fish harvesters with a valid fishing licence.
Manitoba fishermen are calling out Ottawa as they have not received the grant that was promised to all Canadian fish harvesters who are economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ken Bradburn plans to hold a protest to help fishermen who are struggling and have yet to receive the grant. The details of the protest are still in the works.
“I am holding a protest against the federal government because fishermen from the east and the west got the money, but Manitoba fishermen received nothing,” he said.
“Right now, I am reaching out to people and trying to get them to email the government about this. I am still working out the details for the protest.”
Bradburn said many families have been struggling as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit is not enough to provide for them.
“We feel left out. All we want is for the government to honour their words,” he told Winnipeg Sun .
Gerald Valiquette, a fisherman for 40 years, said the $469.4 million provided by the government to support Canadian fish harvesters was seemingly directed towards the east coast fisheries.
“The inland and Winnipeg fishery have not been recognized by the government and that is very unfair,” he said.
“We have been trying to negotiate with the province and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, but they can’t seem to put anything in place. We are facing a 100 per cent loss because we are unable to participate and sell our products during the pandemic.”
Valiquette wants Ottawa to include them during their time of need.
“Lake Winnipeg is the only lake that produces organic, non-farmed and wild fishes, and the government is acting as though we do not exist. We have been around for the last 150 years and we are not being recognized,” he said.
“I want the government to start looking at our demands because fishing is how we make our livelihood and produce employment on our reservation. Due to the pandemic, we got nothing and without help, we have nothing.”
Churchill-keewatinook Aski NDP MP Niki Ashton said none of the money announced by the government of Canada has been flown in for fishers in Manitoba. She said CERB is not replacing the lost income for these fishers.