MP concerned about aboriginal fisheries after PM's letter

The Liberal MP for Labrador says he is concerned that recent comments made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper about aboriginal fishing rights will have a negative impact on Canada's East Coastfisheries.

Todd Russell said Tuesday he was shocked by a letter Harper wrote to the Calgary Herald last week vowing to end so-called race-based commercial fisheries in Canada.

"In the coming months, we will strike a judicial inquiry into the collapse of the Fraser River salmon fishery and oppose racially divided fisheries programs," wrote the prime minister.

Aboriginal leaders have criticized Harper's comments.

Russell said the letter has him worried about what the prime minister may have in mind for aboriginal fisheries in Labrador.

"I speak specifically for Labrador, [where] the Innu, the Inuit and the Métis all have access to certain commercial fisheries," said Russell.

"If they adopt a policy in B.C. specifically to deal with aboriginal and non-aboriginal fisheries, I'm very concerned that this will spread to the East Coast because the government likes to have what they call a consistent and national policy."

Russell, a former president of the Labrador Métis Nation, said aboriginal fishing rights are entrenched in the Constitution and have been upheld by the Supreme Court.

"I really couldn't believe that a sitting prime minister would actually write something to a newspaper that is factually wrong, constitutionally wrong and certainly raises tensions between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in this country, which should never happen," said Russell.

Russell said he has written federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn to express his concerns.