New attacks over move to end clam monopoly
OTTAWA • One month after the federal fisheries minister announced a new licence for an important clam fishery would be awarded to a partnership of Indigenous groups from across Atlantic Canada, the government is facing fresh criticism over how it awarded the licence, and for the Liberals’ perceived ties to the winning bidder.
The decision to award one-quarter of the Arctic surf clam quota to a partnership that included Indigenous communities was intended to further reconciliation by helping First Nations gain a foothold in a lucrative market and to break the monopoly on Arctic surf clams that has been held by Halifax-based Clearwater Seafoods.
In February, Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the new licence would go to a partnership between Nova Scotia-based Premium Seafoods and the Five Nations Clam Company, a new entity comprised of Indigenous groups in Quebec and four Atlantic provinces.
The Newfoundland government and First Nations in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia quickly complained, in part because neither Ottawa nor the Five Nations Clam Company would say which Indigenous communities were involved until weeks after the decision was made.
Now, the Fisheries Council of Canada and the federal Conservatives are adding their voices to those crying foul. Last week, the council, which represents Canada’s fish and seafood industry, wrote a letter to five federal ministers expressing concern that such decisions could create uncertainty for investors.
“Taking away long-standing licences and quotas does not respect past investments and has put a chill on future investments by Canadian fish processors. … Without continued investments, the entire industry will stall,” reads the letter, which was sent to LeBlanc and the ministers of finance, innovation, agriculture and international trade.
Fisheries council president Paul Lansbergen said when it comes to increasing Indigenous participation in the industry, he prefers an existing program that allows Ottawa to buy licences from holders willing to relinquish their quota and re-issue them to Indigenous groups.
After LeBlanc announced his decision on Feb. 21, Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland that had submitted unsuccessful bids complained that the Five Nations Clam Company had not named its partners. They suggested the company was only reaching out to potential partners after winning the licence.
Earlier this month, LeBlanc confirmed to reporters that Five Nations had “reserved spots in their proposal” for Indigenous groups. It wasn’t until March 8 that Chief Aaron Sock of Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick, who represents Five Nations, announced the names of the four other partners: Abegweit First Nation in Prince Edward Island, Potlotek First Nation in Nova Scotia, the Innu First Nation of Nutashkuan in Quebec and the Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut in Labrador.
Sock did not respond to multiple interview requests.
Now, the federal Conservatives are suggesting that perceived connections between the Liberals, Five Nations and Premium Seafoods could have played a role in LeBlanc’s decision. For one, Premium president and CEO Edgar Samson is the brother of Nova Scotia Liberal MP Darrell Samson. Moreover, the president of NunatuKavut, the Five Nations partner from Labrador, is former Liberal MP Todd Russell.
In a statement, a spokesperson for LeBlanc said he rejects any implication “that the decision was made for any other reason apart from providing the greatest possible opportunity to Indigenous communities from across Atlantic Canada and Quebec.”