Former Cheam Band Chief June Quipp warned the Canadian government on Sunday, July 20 that the British Colombia band’s fishermen will begin to carry guns to defend their fishing rights. The band is prohibited from fishing sockeye salmon; however, they admit that a small amount is accidentally caught in otherwise legal spring salmon nets. One month earlier, the federal government lifted a safety agreement instituted in 2000 to limit the amount of officers allowed to enforce federal law along the Fraser River. The band accuses the fisheries officers of becoming increasingly aggressive ever since.
