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Posts published in “Issues”

Cape Breton municipal police trample on Mi’kmaq rights in Membertou First Nation raids

In December of last year, the Cape Breton Regional Police Service carried out multiple raids in Membertou First Nation in violation of the constitutionally protected Aboriginal and Treaty Rights of several Mi’kmaq men. On December 13th, 2022 the municipal police force entered into federal “lands reserved for Indians” and raided the premises of Sully's Trading Post and Belly Busters Pizza & Donair to enforce provincial laws. 

INDIGENOUS UNLICENSED CANNABIS STORES

From Cannabis Life Network by Caleb McMillan December 23 2022 A second Indigenous unlicensed cannabis retail store has opened in London, Ontario. Sewatohwat Cannabis recently opened without approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the province’s cannabis regulator. “The store is operated by sovereign people on sovereign land,” says a sign on the…

OPP cannabis enforcement unit ‘looking into’ unlicensed Indigenous store in London

The owner of Spirit River Cannabis says he is simply upholding his constitutional rights From CBC by Colin Butler December 15 2022 The Ontario Provincial Police unit responsible for cannabis enforcement says it is currently “looking into” an Indigenous-owned cannabis retail store operating without a licence in London, Ont. “[The…

This Indigenous cannabis shop in London, Ont., could be major test for Ontario’s pot retail laws

An unlicensed, Indigenous-owned cannabis retail store has opened its first urban location in London, Ont., looking to claim space in a crowded marketplace by selling cannabis its own way — potentially setting the stage for a major test of Ontario's cannabis retail laws.

Cannabis Harvest Gathering conference expected to draw delegates from Canada and U.S.

From Castanet by Jon Manchester November 18 2022 Canadian and U.S. Indigenous leaders are expected to take part in a conference in Vernon this weekend discussing First Nations’ future in the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry. The Cannabis Harvest Gathering takes place Friday through Sunday at the Vernon Lodge and Syilx Okanagan Trading Post.…

First Nations fight ‘systemic exclusion’ in Canadian cannabis industry

From MJ Biz Daily by Matt Lamers November 11 2022 Some Indigenous leaders believe they’ve been largely excluded from Canada’s multibillion-dollar legal cannabis retail and cultivation industry. That’s the message Indigenous leaders delivered last month at a Senate committee studying the implementation of the country’s federal cannabis law. At the…

Supporters join Chris Googoo at courthouse to defend Micmac Sovereignty and Treaty Rights

DARTMOUTH, NS – Over 40 people accompanied Chris Googoo to his court date at the Dartmouth courthouse on October 11th, 2022. Googoo, an Elected Councillor and entrepreneur in Millbrook First Nation, is raising a constitutional challenge to defend his Aboriginal and Treaty rights to sell cannabis on unceded Indian lands after his shop was raided by the RCMP. Councillor Googoo’s shop in Cole Harbour was raided along with several others on December 23rd, 2020. He was charged under the Cannabis Act with “possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling,” and “possession for the purpose of distributing cannabis.”