Chief Mi’sel Joe and the Council of the Miawpukek First Nation acknowledges that it has an audio recording from a 2018 meeting between members of the Salmonid Association of Eastern Newfoundland (SAEN) and the provincial government. Chief Misel and Council have listened carefully to the words spoken by members of SAEN and that it finds the comments were unquestionably derogative and racist. The racism was inherent in both the direct slur against Indigenous People as well as the careless and convenient rationalization offered in response.

“I have listened to the audio carefully and with an open mind to any reasonable interpretation of the words as well as the explanations as to what they were intended to mean. We have concluded that the remarks were derogative, racist, and so too was the contrived attempt to legitimize them,” Chief Mi’sel Joe stated.

Chief Joe also addressed other issues related to the incident:
“A retraction was offered but no apology and no clear evidence of true reconciliation given,” Chief Joe said, “I have since learned that the SAEN executive who made these remarks was ‘supposedly’ removed from the organization. I have also been made aware that this same person has been included at several important consultation sessions as a representative of a salmon council, which included SAEN as a member. First Nations often experience situations where racists and abusers holding positions of power are exposed; but instead of ...