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Posts published in “People”

Fighting for sovereign Micmac rights in Ugpi’ganjig

Chris, Kyle and Cody Caplin are brothers who live at Ugpi'ganjig and who have been on the front lines of the Micmac fight for economic sovereignty for years. Like hundreds of other Indigenous entrepreneurs, when Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, Chris and Cody Caplin opened a sovereign trading post to sell cannabis on reserve. With wide ranging support for the use of cannabis as a medicine in the community, five other cannabis shops followed the lead of the Medicine Cabinet, and have helped to build a thriving cannabis economy in the community.  

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 Cannabis Association Executive Director advises tribes on pathways into industry

From Tribal Business News by Elyse Wild December 19 2022 When Mary Jane Oatman was seven years old, her grandparents were arrested for growing marijuana on the Nez Pierce Reservation in central Idaho, where the family lived. “It is a very healing medicine,” Oatman said. “When my grandma came home,…

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…