Incident at Restigouche

On June 11 and 20, 1981, the Québec Provincial Police (QPP) raided Restigouche Reserve. At issue were the salmon-fishing rights of the Mi´gmaq people. Because salmon has traditionally been a source of food and income for the Mi´gmaqs, the Québec government’s decision to restrict fishing aroused consternation and anger among the Indians. This film provides a historical perspective on the issue, and documents, with newsclips, photographs and interviews, the two police raids. An interview with former Québec Minister of Fisheries Lucien Lessard explaining the motives of his decision complements the Mi´gmaqs’ account of the event.