From Phil Eidsvik, BC Fisheries Survival Coalition:

With respect to the sentencing of the Cheam poachers, one of whom admitted that he caught 10,000 sockeye and 1,000 chinooks and sold 90% illegally, please be advised that NO sentencing occurred because they did not show up for court.

One of the poachers told his lawyer that he was in “winter ceremonies at the long house” and would not attend court. Another “couldn’t get a ride.” The remaining poachers never even contacted their lawyer to say that they would not be in court.

Given their contempt for the Supreme Court of Canada whose decisions long ago settled the issues they were supposedly protesting about, we are not surprised that they would show similar contempt for the Provincial Court of BC. Remember that the Sto:lo lost their attempt to prove an aboriginal commercial aboriginal right in the Supreme Court of Canada in 1996 in R. v Van der Peet and, at the same time, lost an attempt to prove an aboriginal right of self-government over the fishery in R. v. Nikal in 1996.

Warrants were issued for their arrest – expect that a new date for a sentencing hearing will be set after they are arrested.

Regards,

Phil Eidsvik

BC Fisheries Survival Coalition
406-535 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC
V6C 2Z4

Phone: 604-638-0114
Fax: 604-638-0116