SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION

Submitted By:

Mr. Peter Stoffer, (Sackville-Musquodoboit Valley-Eastern Shore)
NDP Fisheries & Oceans Critic
Mr. Charlie Power, M.P. (St. John's West)
PC Fisheries & Oceans Critic

We would like to say that we support the "report" of the Standing Committee of Fisheries and Oceans. We would like to add an additional opinion. It is our belief that the Government of Canada was derelict in its responsibilities following and initially preceding the Supreme Court Marshal decision on September 17, 1999.

Provincial and federal governments, along with aboriginal leaders, met in Ottawa in February and March of 1999 to discuss possible solutions in the event that the Supreme Court would follow the examples of previous Supreme Court Decisions (ie: Sparrow and Delgamuukw).

Unfortunately the federal government displayed a serious lack of foresight and leadership in preparing for any possible decision that may go in favour of Mr. Donald Marshall's case. The federal government could have prevented the serious outbreak of confusion and violence that happened in Atlantic Canada after the Supreme Court decision of September 17, 1999.