Is the Crown at war with us?

Alanis Obomsawin,
2002,
96 min 31 s

Synopsis
Point Of View
Education

In the summer of 2000, federal fishery officers appeared to wage war on the Mi'gmaq fishermen of Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court in the land? Alanis Obomsawin casts her nets into history to provide a context for the events on Miramichi Bay.

From the playlist : The Aboriginal Voice: the National Film Board and Aboriginal Filmmaking through the Years

As the confrontation between Mi’gmaq fisherman in Burnt Church, New Brunswick and federal fishery officers comes to a head, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ boats violently ram and run over the much smaller boats of the Mi’gmaq fishers. Watching the footage, I’m reminded of the brutal scene during the Oka Crisis where the Kahnawake Mohawks are stoned as they cross the Mercier bridge [see Alanis Obomsawin’s Rocks at Whiskey Trench].

— Gil Cardinal

From the playlist : Alanis Obomsawin Retrospective

I was back in Restigouche because there was another stand taking place concerning logging issues (this led to the film Our Nationhood) when the raids occurred in Burnt Church. When I found out about what was going on there with the Mi'gmaq fishermen, I made this film.

There were three films on the Mi'gmaq people – Incident at Restigouche, Is the Crown at war with us and Our Nationhood.

— Alanis Obomsawin

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Comments

“I really appreciate this film. I hope there is a follow-up film as time moves onward. It is a very important historical document, which can be seen by the whole world. I think the actions of the government speak for themselves, meaning when is it acceptable in any country to hurt your citizens instead of dialogue - and dishonour treaties that have sustainable practices being implemented by the first people's who have lived on the land for centuries. ” — KarinLisaAtkinson, 15 Feb 2013
“would love to see a story about these issues with both sides' stories.” — neural, 14 Sep 2011
“Yes, the Crown is at war with us. When did it truely end?” — marydeborah, 21 Oct 2010