Real-Life Communication
Discussions over fishing rights are stalled at a treaty negotiation.
Both sides are upset because they believe the other party isn't sitting
at the table in good faith.
The fishing season is currently closed.
However, the native band is fishing on the river. Because of this action,
the government is pulling out all their nets and arresting all of the natives'
fishing boats. Each group is angry about the situation.
As the chair
of the negotiating table, you're worried that the talks are about to
fall apart. You decide to talk with a representative from the native band
and from the government individually to hear their concerns. Once you have
done this, you will try and work out a compromise that will get the talks
started again.
"This work is all about communication," says Tracy St.
Claire. She works with a treaty commission.
Treaty negotiators need
to be able to open discussions, facilitate talks and communicate ideas both
written and orally. "Discussion and dialog are a key part of these processes,"
she adds.
You speak with each of the groups.
The native representative
says:
We believe that under the constitution, we have an aboriginal
right to hunt and fish. The fish that we depend upon to feed our families
and to help us earn a living are swimming upstream right now. If we stop fishing
while the talks are on, the fish will have disappeared from the area and we
will have nothing to catch. Our people will starve and will have no income
for the year.
We have the right to put in as many nets and have as
many fishing boats as we'd like on the river, and we don't have
to obey the fishing regulations that other commercial fishers have to follow.
We believe that's our right. We can't sit at this table in discussions
as long as the government is out on the river, pulling up our fishing nets
and arresting our fishing boats. It isn't fair.
The government
representative says:
Because a deal has yet to be reached with this
band, we don't believe that they have a right to fish as much as they
want, whenever they want. It isn't fair to the other fishers on the river
who have to wait for the fishing season to open. And it isn't good for
the conservation of the fish stocks.
We have government guidelines
about fisheries and conservation. These guidelines can't be superseded
by any group. The survival of the fish stock depends upon it. Until a deal
is reached, or until the fishing season opens, we won't allow any native
fishing boats on the river.
You have questions for both representatives:
For
the native representative:
- Name two reasons why you feel you must fish now, during the talks.
- What will happen if you stop fishing during the discussions?
For the government representative:
- Name two reasons why you feel you must stop all native fishing boats on
the river.
- Why do you think everyone must follow the government's conservation
guidelines?
What answers do you find?