CORNER BROOK — Ever since a federal review of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band application process was announced, people have been voicing their concerns over what that will mean for members and potential members of the band.
On Thursday, those comments turned to action when a notice began circulating via Facebook and email that a protest to call for a fair and equal application process would take place in front of the Qalipu office on Church Street at 12:30 p.m. on Monday.
Scott Gould is helping to spread the word about the protest by sharing information online and putting up posters around town.
Gould submitted his application to the band about 15 months ago, long before the deadline, and before concern over the growing numbers of applicants led to a federal review of the application process. There are still in excess of 70,000 applications to be processed.
“I’m worried about everybody’s (application),” said the former Port au Choix man, who now lives and goes to school in Corner Brook. “They’re talking about changing things as they’re going.”
For Gould, it’s all about fairness and being treated the same as the applicants before him.
Gould said there was a recent posting on one of the social media sites from a person saying her application had been turned down because she can’t prove she lives the Mi’kmaq way.
“That’s just cheap ways to turn you down,” he said. “Who on the island here doesn’t live some way of the Mi’kmaq way?”
Gould had no explanation as to how the talking turned into action, but thinks the protest is long overdue.
“We’re not getting no answers from nobody down there (at the Qalipu office), and you go down there and it’s just like Fort Knox. So you can’t get nothing down there, so it’s just as well to go another route.
“But if they don’t do it now, it ain’t gonna be done, and it’s just as well to give up.”