Meat sales under investigation

An investigation is now underway over the sale of hunted meat in Kahnawake, Quebec’s environmental ministry has confirmed.

The investigation being carried out by wildlife officers was triggered following the publication of articles in Le Journal de Montréal that framed the sale of game in the territory as a “black market.”

The reporting targeted community member Shane Stacey in particular, the hunter behind Wild Bush Cuts. The articles written by the French newspaper characterized his operation as “clandestine,” despite him openly advertising his butchering services on Facebook.

“The sale and purchasing of hunted meat and fish are offences under the Act Respecting the Conservation and Development of Wildlife,” Ève Morin Desrosiers, a spokesperson for the environment ministry wrote in an email to The Eastern Door. “Bartering is also illegal according to the law, meaning you can’t exchange meat for a service, for instance.”

Those found selling or buying hunted meat can be fined, she wrote, with first offences starting at $2,500.

“We’re all sovereign nations,” Stacey said after learning about the investigation. “Their investigation, it’s kind of for nothing.”

As far as he’s concerned, he has every right to hunt on unceded land, and to pursue work that allows him to provide for his family.

“By asking and playing nice and playing their way with the courts and all that, you’re giving them a shovel. They’re going to bury you,” Stacey said. “You don’t ask, you demand.”

He said he always hunts in moderation on public land, and never in Kahnawake.

“We have every right to barter our goods, especially Native to Native,” he added.

He said he’s been receiving death threats ever since the articles about him appeared in Le Journal de Montréal.

“It really negatively impacted my life, these articles, but I’m trying to keep my head high,” Stacey said.

He and his brother, also a hunter, have since sat down with Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo and chief David Diabo to talk about the service they provide. At no point did either say they take issue with it, Stacey said.

News that an investigation had been launched came out on December 20, when provincial Indigenous affairs minister Ian Lafrienière confirmed it at a press conference being held in Montreal to mark the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Kahnawake and Quebec.

David, who oversees the hunting file, confirmed the MCK has since been approached by a representative of the environmental ministry about it. He said a meeting is expected to be held soon at their office between the Council table and officials overseeing the investigation.

“At the end of the day, we have inherent rights to hunt,” the MCK grand chief said. “It always seems like whenever Indigenous people get involved into any type of industry, we always seem to be labelled as black market.”

Asked their position on the sale of meat in the territory, both Council chiefs skirted around whether or not the MCK explicitly forbids it.

“According to their regulation, we can make a moderate living,” Diabo said, referencing the province. “As long as things are being followed to the best of practices, you know. That’s all I can comment on that at the moment.”

David said similarly, adding he doesn’t personally support the sale of game.

“Traditionally, we don’t sell any free resource. It’s shared within the community,” he said. “We can’t help what hunters are going out to do, but when they come to see us, we tell them, ‘You got to be a little bit more responsible.’”

By that he means hunting in moderation.

“Take what you need. Don’t over harvest. We tell this to everybody,” David said.

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