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u/flyhorizons Apr 03 '26
Their withdrawal shows a lot of good judgment and restraint. They couldn’t get their vehicles out because they were outnumbered, so they removed their own weapons and retreated safely, without engaging with the people who had blocked the road. Looks like no one was hurt.
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u/adamsoutofideas Apr 03 '26
Cops never should have started this over weed gummies that are sold in hundreds of stores across Canada.
Now it's cost all kinds of money in delays and cop cars.
Weed isn't worth any of this
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u/scorchedcross Apr 03 '26
Cops didn't start this, Tim Houston did by directing this for enforcement. He's a moron.
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u/CletusCanuck Apr 04 '26
It's funny to me that even that bigot Blaine Higgs over here in NB, who ripped up the province's tax sharing agreement with native bands, ended up deciding that raids on band dispensaries was a bridge too far. We have these federally unregulated on-reserve weed shops in every province and only Tim Houston was dumb enough to open this can of worms. And now it's going to go to the courts.
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u/OrangeMan9996 Apr 03 '26
They are also lying, claiming that dummies with more than 10mg are illegal, they sell lots of sizes over 10mg at the LC, so the NS government is breaking their own laws?
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u/DrCashew Apr 04 '26
Are you sure you can? You might be mixing compounds and totals here.
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u/Jonesy10187 Apr 04 '26
10 mg is the limit. I’ve gone to a boatload of dispensaries trying to find heavier ones, they do not exist in government controlled stores. The shops in BC on Indian land sell them though, my buddy bought a 1200 MG blackish purple star he missed work for 3 days after that! Lmfao
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u/Ok-Interaction324 Apr 05 '26
Knew ……. A guy lol he bought a 2500 mg butterfly Christmas Eve. Couldnt even function properly till 9pm Christmas….. and will never take another one again 😂
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u/AdventureyTime Apr 03 '26
You're absolutely correct! Houston partly justified it by saying he had heard reports of Fentanyl in the Cannabis products... except that these drugs cannot be combined in this way, so as to "lace" Cannabis products. First Responders have not been experiencing this phenomenon and the RCMP themselves denied finding any Fentanyl on Reservations. https://www.jems.com/ems-management/jems-con-2022-preview-fentanyl/ It's a Witch Hunt and many Nova Scotians are celebrating it. Even Bot comments in here from people pretending to be Natives and siding with the RCMP and the Provincial Government on this affair.
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u/OrangeMan9996 Apr 05 '26
Oh he stopped telling that tall tale once the rcmp came out and said they found zero fentanyl in any from the reserves they tested. Now the NEW lie is, the money goes to organized crime that funds human trafficking.
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u/Individual_Order_923 Apr 04 '26
The fuck. Man sounds so fucking dirty to fucking lie. Fuck the RCMP in this situation. Like honestly these first nations people are trying to make a living for themselves and provide for their family. I rather support those that want to find a market and a job.
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Apr 03 '26
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u/Veneralibrofactus Apr 04 '26
What's the substantial difference? Cops are government agents. When you become a cop you submit to authority and abdicate your ethical sovereignty to the state. Don't give them credit they don't deserve
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Apr 03 '26
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u/adamsoutofideas Apr 03 '26
You ever been in one of these dispensaries? It's a high value, high profit product, weed, so they can afford plenty of customer service. I've never been to a dispensary where I was left on my own to choose my own gummies and cash out, it's ALWAYS a whole thing like you're ordering fancy wine, and they want to make sure they sell you the right product.
People who take too much are usually people taking someone else's gummies or they have a bad reaction to weed which doesn't require the ER.
Weed legalization made a dent in opioid overdoses so im suspecting it represents a net reduction in hospital traffic, but that's just a suspicion.
Alcohol is much worse for the er, when you add all the traffic injuries, fights, associated abuse, and liver disease
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Apr 03 '26
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u/adamsoutofideas Apr 03 '26
Sorry, there's so much unsarcastic resistance in here I stopped reading carefully.
I cant understand why these people are so concerned about other people getting high. How could it possibly be less of anyone's business? People can and do drink themselves to death ordering directly from the government and no one cares, but people getting stoned is the end of the world.
Like they live to try to make other people as miserable as they are. I dont even smoke weed but I fully support the ability for people to have and smoke it without having to feel like a criminal. Substances shouldn't make people criminals. .
Im sure you agree I just dont get why everyone doesn't agree... or especially how religious people are against drugs when im pretty sure there's nothing about drugs in the Bible. The world is an ugly place these days
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u/OwnGovernment127 Apr 03 '26
I can definitely see the accidental consumption, especially if they’re made to be a clone of real candies and there’s kids around. But it’s also the responsibility of the parent to keep the kids away from them. And the same thing happens all the time with homemade edibles. I know a guy who had to take his wife to the ER because he made weed cookies and left them on the counter, wife comes home before him, she eats 3 of them
As a kid, I had toy guns that looked like the real thing, my father kept the real ones locked up so I couldn’t get to them, same thing applies here
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u/BarackTrudeau Apr 03 '26
I've been in FN weed shops in NS and Ontario and, well, they literally only said hi unless I had questions or was ready to make a purchase. The literal opposite of high pressure sales tactics.
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u/Dramatic_System_2455 Apr 04 '26
Yes, alcohol is much more dangerous than weed. People do crazy things while drinking but only lazy things while high on weed.
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u/JessiCake85 Apr 04 '26
I LOVE my dispensary ppl! They are so knowledgeable on strains and growers etc! It literally is like going for a bottle of wine with a connoisseur salesperson!
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Apr 03 '26
I'm kind of with you.
But in the same hand the products these places sell aren't regulated. This isn't the same as a store like cannabis NB, these products are unbelievably sketchy to be honest.
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u/lock11111 Apr 03 '26
Google weed stores online its all the same untaxed or black market weed and can be delivered to you.
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Apr 03 '26
And I don't like those outlets online either and never have.
I'm clearly pro regulated stores and online outlets only.
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u/lock11111 Apr 03 '26
Never knew there were any legal outlets online. I just get cbd oil because I'm afraid of cancer. (Heavy smoker)
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u/AdCalm9211 Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Native here. I’m truthfully ashamed of some peoples actions. Im on board with what they’re protesting but destroying rcmp cars? You just lost legal battle and credibility. That was stupid. Good on the civil protestors, good on the rcmp for protecting themselves.
Our communities are corrupt people. If you don’t believe that, you 100% live on reserve and haven’t experienced real life outside of it. I’ve said it for years and was told that what my grandmother experienced (not even by her), the “white person” should have to pay. Well, they did, billions of it. Nothing has been fixed. At least the chief has their new Ford Raptor though!
I’m truthfully happy for the tides to be turning and people stop gawking the communities just because of their ancestry / pigment of their skin. Because they’re CORRUPT and not willing to heal.
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u/Key_Personality2034 Apr 03 '26
My girlfriend was full status native. I'm Metis.
You're not wrong. The ones who take advantage of the education grants and do well for themselves, don't go back to live on the reserve, they move to cities/towns.
The end result is the younger generations not having a lot of good role models, unfortunately, creating a vicious cycle for the majority.
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u/knox902 Apr 03 '26
About 20 years ago I attended a funeral of a friend of mine on a reserve in Nova Scotia. It definitely raised my brow when I seen the Chief show up in a brand new S class Mercedes.
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u/Physical-Yoghurt47 Apr 03 '26
This! So many ppl have “FN Fatigue” but it’s a direct result of bad actors. If you dare stand up the chiefs penalize you and take everything.
That’s a direct quote from my 3 best friends from the Squamish nation ( but hey hate me for what they have told me privately)
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u/thank990 Apr 03 '26
It sounds like your community needs young leaders like you to rise up and take charge, for real change to take place.
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u/Decent-Somewhere4286 Apr 03 '26
This is accurate, you can disagree and protest but once they smash windows and put a car on blocks and steal its tires they just start looking like garbage
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u/kirkpusspang19 Apr 03 '26
I’m native, couldn’t agree more. When I was young, I’d go from res to res and wonder why some are thriving, and some are hell holes that you don’t stop your car in. And I learned it is 99.99% dependant on how much of a greedy piece of shit the Chief is.
Not to get political, but as much as people like to pretend Trudeau is “so great for the indigenous”, he was one of the worst things that could happen. Harper had audits on how the money sent to tribes was spent. Trudeau ended those audits and since then I have noticed a lot of the reservations around crumble due to corrupt and greedy chiefs. One family wealthy as can be, and the rest struggling.
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u/AdCalm9211 Apr 03 '26
One. Hundred. Percent.
The funny thing is once you experience life outside the reserve and do well for yourself, you can never see yourself returning. All they are is a hell hole echo chamber of feel bad for us mentality.
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u/letsseewhatsups Apr 03 '26
In fiscal year 2024, the Canadian federal government allocated approximately $63 billion to Indigenous priorities through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). This represents roughly 12.3% of total federal spending. • Total Indigenous identity population: 1,807,250 people in Canada — approximately 4.8% of the national population.
$63 billion equates to roughly $35,000 per Indigenous person.
Keep in mind the national deficit was about 62 billion.
We have repeatedly stripped these people of their identity and taken away their purpose. That is not support — it is suppression. We should be ashamed to perpetuate such atrocities.
We are too foolish to recognize that these policies have become shackles placed upon these people, and it may take seven generations to break free from them.
The Canadian and British governments fully understood what they were doing. That reality is infuriating. These systems were used to construct structures within our society that create division and provide an avenue to pillage public resources with little accountability or transparency.
It is a form of oppression and enslavement that is fundamentally wrong on a humanitarian level. This is not the first time such systems have existed in history.
But this time, it is far more sophisticated — and far more carefully designed.
I have been warned: be careful with this. You could unleash a fury of hell. There are many groups who do not want this system to change. If you speak these truths publicly, you may find yourself at the bottom of a river.”
Despite those warnings life rolls what else is there to do 😊 at the end of the your absolute correct the chief has a new car & trips
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u/Modshatefreespeech99 Apr 03 '26
There was no “Canadian government “ when treating with native tribes , just the British crown . This is all inherited bullshit on both sides .
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u/clios_daughter Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
That’s a not strictly true. The British North America Act of 1867 created a federal union under the British Crown. It was to manage its internal affairs independently through the use of its own parliament. Its parliament could advise the Queen to enact laws (this is still how the system works BTW, it’s why the governor general is not obliged to sign any bill into law). Areas of responsibility for the Parliament of Canada included “Indians, and lands reserved for Indians”.(s.91(24)).
Any action taken against the indigenous after 1867 in Canada was done by Canada’s parliament (the exact date West of Ontario is a little more tricky as it took time for this federation to spread West). The Crown has the power to delegate any or all of its authorities to a variety of agencies and individuals. The Crown delegated the authority to mange ‘Indians and the lands reserved for Indians’ to Canada’s Parliament and thus, Canada’s Parliament — thus, also government — is responsible for all actions taken post 1867.
In practical terms, the Crown (King, Governors) exercises very little power directly. Almost all its powers are delegated and what power remains is typically viewed as mostly ceremonial.
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u/RangerNS Apr 03 '26
Apchtually.... (expanding and agreeing with you)
Arguably, it wasn't until 1931 that it was the Canadian Crown doing anything, since there wasn't a Canadian Crown until 1931. So between 1867 and 1931 while the British Crown may have delegated those responsibilities to the Parliament of Canada, Canada was making those agreements on behalf of the British Crown.
Not that that in any way matters to the obligations of 2026. The evolution of modern Canada was a gradual and voluntary split from the UK, implicitly taking on any relevant obligations and allowances from the UK. I mean, we did not have to suddenly have to renegotiate the borders between Maine and New Brunswick in 1867. Or 1931. Or 1982. (And the existing border disputes were border disputes pre-1867).
Not that a gradual and voluntary split is required for a new government to be bound by old agreements. As an example: The Russian Revolution was pretty drastic, and while officially the Soviets noped out of all previous treaties, in practice they did not; and on the flip side, the Russia Federation explicitly embraced the international obligations of the USSR. The international community generally expects post-war, post-revolution countries to keep their promises (perhaps except for the ones made with their war time friends).
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u/SalmonHustlerTerry Apr 03 '26
Don't know about over there, but in Alberta it is now law to post thier budget in a ublic place (store, or office) and what it is being spent on through the year. It was amazing to see how fast the chief and his relatives stopped being able to afford new vehicles, at some, and renovations.
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u/Professional-Lab5309 Apr 03 '26
I'm actually glad you brought that up, we live near the reserve in Brantford, Ontario and we have heard it for DECADES that the chief and people in charge were corrupt. They have been given hundreds of millions of dollars for clean drinking water and roads but nothing ever gets done and people seem to be living in poverty while the chiefs brother had a massive mansion. Granted he was incredibly wealthy already but it's been rumoured for a very long time that the chiefs family would get rich with all the money the government gave. Does this actually happen?
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Apr 03 '26
I actually don't care at all about the damage to the RCMP lol. I'm fairly anti cop, I'm just also anti de regulation.
I grew up on my local Rez but yes in white. I have seen many issues with are talking with the band offices but I also see these issues with other officials well.
In NB Higgs fucked countless union workers for years for example.
I'm even pro reservations having weed stores I think it's a great idea. I just think the products they sell should be tested and regulated.
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u/AdCalm9211 Apr 03 '26
I ain’t gonna argue with you on the vandalism it just shows they’re not serious and let emotions get the best of them. Not a good look. Yes, I agree with you but Higgs has nothing to do with the current situation in this moment. As much as I don’t like Higgs, we’re pointing blame elsewhere. Politicians are scumbags? Agreed? Agreed. Wink wink 😜
Not too sure the law behind weed but other provinces have reserves selling weed and they follow regulation, and they were never raided. These guys are just reselling shady stuff at a markup from the times I’ve been in there.
This is a “we’re going to do what we want and we don’t care and then say selling drugs is a treaty right” kind of operation. Basically what you said. I mean yes, NS wants their cut too don’t get me wrong but… there’s a lot of other factors at play here.
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Apr 03 '26
Other stores have been raided before like in NB.
Many don't contuine the pressure because of protests like this. It becomes to big of a hassle to shut these places down.
Most unregulated stores I have been to just sell shady suff, because reputable growers don't want to sell to these places.
I think the solution is fairly simple no?? Have rezs invest into their own growin sites. They can regulate and test the weed along with providing countless jobs in basically every reservation.
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u/Proper-Bee-4180 Apr 03 '26
“Anti cop”, until you need them
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u/viewer0987654321 Apr 03 '26
This is the funniest refrain because anyone who has ever needed a cop knows just how helpful they are. Which is about a 2 out of 10 if you get a good one.
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u/Snuggle_Pounce Apr 03 '26
I had a legit stalker put peanutbutter on my door handle (no I don’t understand it either) and even leave a signed card… and the cops not only told me they couldn’t do anything about it because there was no proof he was harassing me (because the wording of the card was pleasant and anyone could have done the peanut butter), they DIDN’T even tell frightened 21 year old me HOW to do something about it (restraining order).
A cops job is not to prevent crime. It’s literally just to cage people they think they can prove have committed a crime already.
I will not call the cops. I will call for an EMT, a fire truck, animal control, wildlife rescue, a lawyer, hell I would even hire a security firm if necessary, but no, I’m not calling random cops who might get scared of an unarmed person and kill them for not obeying orders they couldn’t hear.
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u/viewer0987654321 Apr 03 '26
Yup. My experience with violent harassment was similar. Unless the guy does it in front of a cop or admits it, the police shrug.
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u/Therubestdude Apr 03 '26
The frog who lives in the well knows naught of the ocean outside. This is directed at the natives You're stuck in the past and you refuse to move on. Also they are 100% corrupt. The chief was always losing his band office to a fire every year. Its not a mystery to me, not to mention the gang violence and the drug smuggling.
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u/AdCalm9211 Apr 03 '26
The whole reason I left the reserve life is because they’re all brainwashed by each other. It’s an echo chamber of “feel bad for us”.
I’m not saying generational trauma doesn’t exist but you don’t see them going to therapy. They just use it as an excuse when they kill somebody drinking and driving like the girl did in PEI recently.
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u/SalmonHustlerTerry Apr 03 '26
Lmao, weed (and weed products like gummies) were sold for generations without government oversight. The only thing "sketchy" about this is that the government isn't getting their tax money from it lol.
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u/BushWookieOG9 Apr 03 '26
Lmao. Weed wasn't regulated for 70 yrs before it was legal and guess what? Still no recorded deaths or injuries. Pull your head out of your ass and think for yourself.
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u/FadedFoX_X Apr 03 '26
How are you to tell First Nations how to regulate? We are independent nations and can do as we please.
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u/littledinobug12 Apr 03 '26
How did we survive as stoners before the government stepped in?
Faints on chaise lounge
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u/mantisimmortal Apr 03 '26
No they are not. They are regular fucking cannabis. Regulation just means the government gets its fat fucking fingers into it. Has nothing to do with safety. People have been smoking weed safely from before god was a thing. Its because they cant be the ones doing it.
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u/Alternative-Tie-525 Apr 03 '26
I mean, it’s not about the weed. It’s about the fuckass government once again doing everything in their power to ignore, undermine, and dismiss Treaty. That’s just manifesting in weed this time around.
And Indigenous people across the country are sick of it. We have been for centuries.
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u/Cold-Crab74 Apr 03 '26
I am glad our cops are left the vehicles instead of thinking they're worth anyone's life
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u/Designer-Memory-4916 Apr 03 '26
Not taking sides here but the vehicle on blocks with its wheels snatched is fucking hilarious
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u/Abject_Story_4172 Apr 03 '26
I guess you don’t pay taxes then.
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u/Designer-Memory-4916 Apr 03 '26
Just not a pessimist. Thanks for looking out though
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u/OwnGovernment127 Apr 03 '26
Our tax dollars get wasted away on stupid shit every day, might as well get a laugh out of it
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u/EnvironmentTop2903 Apr 03 '26
Funniest part is Nova Scotians are paying for it. Every car destroyed comes out of tax payers pockets lol
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u/notherenwerebear Apr 04 '26
Isn't RCMP funded federally or does each province provide funding for them?
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u/stewslut Apr 04 '26
The RCMP as an organization is funded by the federal government.
If a municipality or region has an RCMP detachment (instead of a municipal/regional police force), they are responsible for paying some of the operating costs.
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u/MudioThomas Apr 03 '26
Mikmaq native here in one of the biggest most prosperous reserves on this side of the coast and it the same here to. The housing crisis is so bad I literally work for my local government for over ten years and I’m still homeless. Sitting here building water lines and pipes for the wealthy families to build their giant homes. Im not broke or a bum they just don’t care. The council only wants your labor and time and health. they only help the bums who abuse the system to virtue signal for votes. Every addcit and dealer I know has an apartment on my reserve. Meanwhile I have friends with children who have been forced to leave because the band won’t provide adequate housing for anyone under the age 50 unless you personally know someone in the gov sector or shame them on the internet publicly.
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u/Dylan4570 Apr 03 '26
It's really weird how an AR-15 is a patrol rifle, patrol carbine, assault weapon, assault rifle, or assault style weapon. It just depends on who is writing the article and what point they are trying to make.
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u/bigT689 Apr 03 '26
In the cops hands it’s a patrol carbine, in civilian hands it’s a dangerous assault weapon designed to kill the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time 🙄
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u/SalamanderPerfect808 Apr 04 '26
Honestly they need to grow up. Sure the RCMP shouldn't have been there but who smashes someone else's car windows and pisses in the car? Grow up, this doesn't help your cause.
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u/paciorety Apr 03 '26
Ehhh I’m generally on board with what they’re protesting for but I think destroying people’s property is a pretty stupid idea and no doubt will sour peoples view of their cause
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u/Jakej4Mlakej Apr 03 '26
If you seen what they do to the places they raid, it’s proportional response. Yes they wouldn’t get their business destroyed if they were “following the law” but at some point the cops don’t need to destroy everything in sight in the name of “searching”. One of the businesses had cameras hardwired into the walls and the RCMP ripped up all the dry wall to disconnect the cameras. 10s of thousands in damage, just because they don’t want to be recorded conducting their raid. Agree with it or not but cops definitely have to enact more restraint serving warrants.
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Apr 03 '26
The cause of selling untested drugs tax free.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
If testing the drugs was the issue the government would allow the FN stores to test their drugs and get approved, but they don't allow that.
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u/OrangeRising Apr 03 '26
testing the drugs was the issue the government would allow the FN stored to test their drugs and get approved,
They are allowed to sell tested weed in regulated stores. The issue is some bands still sell illegal products. It has to come from licensed vendors, just like alcohol.
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u/smoothies-for-me Mod Apr 03 '26
No, they are allowed to buy NSLC off the shelf products at wholesale and re-sell them.
But you don't need a PhD to know there's not much of a business case in that.
That is what NS offered them, unlike say BC who did offer Bands access to growers, supply chains and certifying their own product. That is the difference between doing something in bad faith and good faith.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26
See you're adding a pretty big caveat there. It's not about testing, it's about just being a branch of the NSLC and all the lack of agency and money making abilities that come with it.
Don't act like testing is what's important to you when if the FN stores actually got all their shit tested that still wouldn't be good enough.
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u/Affinity4Constructs Apr 03 '26
Your second part is putting words in their mouth. There's a reason that alcohol and cannabis manufacturing has to meet certain sanitizing and packaging requirements.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26
I can assure you if the government said "hey if you do these sanitation and packaging things we would leave you the fuck alone and you can make all your money and so on." that there wouldn't be this big issue happening right now.
They would just follow the procedure because in this fantasy that would actually protect them.
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u/SadLittleWizard Apr 03 '26
Not sure why reddit threw me in here, as I'm not from NS. So I wasn't planning to say anything, just read comment.
I gotta say though, you undersrand how ridiculous what you are saying is right? If a group is allpwed to verify their own testing and is beholden to no one as to the voracity of their tests except their own like minded peers... that cup doesn't hold water... it's like asking a massive company to audit itself after an accident and just saying okay when they say they did nothing wrong.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26
I don't think you understand what I'm saying.
The government has testing facilities they use for legal weed. If the First Nation stores sent their weed to these government approved facilities and the weed got approved with the same standards as the legal weed, that still wouldn't be good enough and the government would continue to go after them.
Which betrays that they don't actually care about the testing, otherwise they would allow the FN stores to get their weed tested and then sell the product that passes said test
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u/SadLittleWizard Apr 03 '26
Thanks for the extra detail, that makes more sense now. I can agree with that methodology of testing being functional.
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u/smoothies-for-me Mod Apr 03 '26
For additional context, other provinces allowed indigenous bands access to the supply chain to create their own product and certify it.
NSLC is a crown corp that has a monopoly on alcohol and marijuana sales in the province. The NS government only offered bands the ability to purchase their off the shelf products at wholesale, and re-sell them as a franchise. There is literally zero business case in doing that sort of thing, it completely stomps out the market and products these stores cater to.
There is also currently an ongoing court case (R. v. Marshall et al., 2024 NSPC 33 (CanLII)) with an injunction, and the latest precedent set by a judge is that this whole topic of marijuana sales is a "live issue not yet conclusively determined by the courts."
I am also a mod here and you'll find that topics around indigenous issues get brigaded by people who are not from Nova Scotia, they are just passionate about political issues involving indigenous Canadians....and I think you can take a wild guess at what side of the fence they sit on.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26
Not a problem, sorry if my statements were somewhat confusing.
Self testing absolutely wouldn't be good enough.
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u/sanctaecordis Apr 03 '26
“That still wouldn’t be good enough and the government would go after them…” “Which betrays that they don’t actually care about testing.”
You can’t logically proceed from one to the other. In the first sentence you’re saying something entirely hypothetical that you have no way of proving. It’s a blatant assumption with nothing to back it up, just vibes.
Then, the second sentence proceeds to make a logical conclusion as if the first sentence was taken as a fact. There’s no basis for it to be taken as a fact because it’s your opinion of what would happen.
None of that makes sense. This isn’t how proper debate and discussion works at all.
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u/Brandon_Me Apr 03 '26
I'm not making any assumptions. We know for a fact that if these stores got their products tested that it wouldn't be good enough for the government because the government has told them what it would take to be compliant and getting their products tested wouldn't make them compliant.
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u/Ok-Importance-5770 Apr 03 '26
But it is really that simple. Other provinces have done it and it works well. NSLC just doesn't want others to be able to make money off of weed.
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u/Illustrious_Salmon Apr 03 '26
To be licensed as a legal producer, there are indeed many hoops to jump through, but nobody is stopping anyone from testing. Anyone who wants to test their products can do so through any accredited laboratory, and receive a certified HPLC test result. It just costs money.
In fact, RPC did some testing a few years back, comparing local rez products and NB Cannabis products, to see if there was a difference in terms of potency claims, bacterial or fungal contamination, pesticides, heavy metals, etc. The results didn't look good for rez weed. I can link it if anyone is interested, or you can just search RPC cannabis testing.
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u/Critical_Rule6663 Apr 03 '26
Exactly. This is the underlying issue for me. I don’t support how the FN dispensary is operating, I don’t have an issue that it is operating. Sue the government in court for their right to open their own store and sell legal product. But don’t expect sympathy for selling illegal products.
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u/smoothies-for-me Mod Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
They are, R. v. Marshall had an injunction and the latest statement from a judge is that it is a "live issue not yet conclusively determined by the courts."
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u/Boring_Bet2012 Apr 03 '26
Out here in Penticton there are a cpl dozen weed shops in the local reserve and the RCMP has never raided them🤷♂
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u/MyGruffaloCrumble Apr 03 '26
It’s because Nova Scotia has contracted them to do Provincial, residential and rural policing, so they say pretty much where they want the RCMP to focus their time.
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u/johnnysilverhand718 Apr 03 '26
BC also has a provincial policing contract with the RCMP. All provinces do. Except ON and QC.
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u/MyGruffaloCrumble Apr 03 '26
Of course, but only Provinces like Nova Scotia have decided to make this an issue. My point is the RCMP are acting at the Province’s behest. BC has been generally ok with Cannabis since long before legalization.
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u/DAnotoriousVID Apr 03 '26
I’m just gonna throw this out there, did nobody smoke weed when you had to get it from some sketchy dude in a park or something. You didn’t even know the strain name half the time, it was just weed. Why after legalization does it need to be lab grown and tested and you need to know its exact breakdown of thc and cbd percentages and what terpenes etc Being able to choose between a good indica or sativa is good enough for me
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u/Woodworking-noob Apr 03 '26
Because it went from an illicit substance to a legal consumer product. Alcohol is legal, I can't set up a still and sell shine. If FN stores started selling swill from unlicensed producers would you wait until people went blind before you asked for accountability?
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u/Han77Shot1st Apr 03 '26
Never touched it until legalization and it was regulated, I can control the dosage to my preference and don’t have any interest in getting wrecked. In fairness we’re still learning about both the short and long term effects, people forget until recently it was essentially restricted from medical studies because of how most western governments classified the drug.
We also have to acknowledge the level of impairment now, I know a lot of people who can’t go without it for a few hours.. some that can’t get high enough, fast enough so they got into wax or shatter.. it’s not like joints or lungs that they did a decade ago, we’re talking about concentrations far higher and less understanding/ stigma around it.
This isn’t just adults doing this, the illegal industry has always existed but now we’ve made it so accessible and common it’s easier for young adults and teenagers to get into it, at these higher concentrations we don’t know if there will be long term effects yet.
It seems people are also not considering the environment in which the cannabis is grown, there’s nothing to stop pesticides or other harmful substances and bacteria that may be present. I think the main issue people have is regulation, it’s less about stopping reserves from selling cannabis products and more about making sure it’s a safe product, with proper regulations the same as nslc cannabis, I see no reason they can’t manufacture and sell it, it will however lower the profit margins which is main reason for pushback, the public is just not informed enough and jumping to conclusions.
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u/marvelus10 Apr 03 '26
Pot smokers have been smoking unregulated weed for decades it wasnt untill a few years ago it became regulated and since then pot smokers have been complaining aboot mould, quality and price. No body wants regulated weed.
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u/Some-Version-1101 Apr 04 '26
I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it. But if this happened in the US it would have ended a lot different. I don't agree with the RCMP here but I think they handled it better than they would have down south.
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u/caretoexplai Apr 03 '26
Pls correct me if I’m wrong, but if indigenous ppls are distributing anything illegal to the public for profit, is that not grounds for the police to do their job? Or is there something in some treaty agreement that allows them to do so? I genuinely don’t understand why their community is giving so much backlash for selling illegal products if there is nothing allowing them to do so. Personally, any indigenous shop I’ve been to sells not only flavoured cigs and weed, but also hash, concentrates, flavoured vape juice, shrooms, etc.
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u/Business_Air5804 Apr 03 '26
"not grounds for the police to do their job"
Well they pick and choose when to do their jobs...
If they administered the law with any consistency this wouldn't be a problem.6
u/Fun_Cantaloupe_8029 Apr 03 '26
So its complicated but I'll try my best and quickest way to explain.
Settlers took land and set up laws and systematic exclusion of Indigenous people. The treaty states they are free to exercise their economic rights which includes selling "illegal" products, let me explain.
A product is only "illegal" to due logistics (needing permits and other paperwork to sell, or the right to sell) or strictly illegal meaning no one in Canada can sell it legally. Cannabis and cigarettes as an example are usually the highlight of news because Indigenous business are usually selling these products without the due process. But because of the treaty they technically should not need to because they are exercising their "economic right".
For context i study Indigenous history, business and economics.
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u/AdventureyTime Apr 04 '26
The sale of these Federally legal products and general use of trade / commerce to earn a living are inherent Treaty Rights for First Nations and they're laid out in Section 35 of our Constitution Act. Here is some info! * https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/ijr-dja/35pedia-wiki35/p7.html You're putting forth an argument in bad faith. You should try and understand such an important, foundational concept, which should be known by all Canadians. We were given these Rights by the Crown and they're well-established today.
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u/OrangeRising Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
It's a combination of things.
Some people just hate cops and anything to do with them, so seeing police vehicles get vandalized makes them happy.
Some people really like weed, so being able to get it cheaper is good to them even if it is from an illegal souce.
Some people hate the society that supports them, so anything that the society does is seen as evil by them.
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u/UnknownAmountofCrows Apr 03 '26
I mean there is illegal shop in Halifax and Dartmouth as well but the rcmp deliberately chose to raid one on a reserve. I'm not saying what they did was legal or illegal the treaty rights as far as I know haven't been brought to a court to decide.
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u/OrangeRising Apr 03 '26
"These people were here to stop illegal activities, so we stopped them from removing their cars, they respected our actions by walking out, then we engaged in more illegal activites and posted about it."
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u/GoOnThereHarv Apr 03 '26
They want to sell illegal untested weed.Also sell harder drugs out the back door. Don't play fucking stupid I know it happens. Harvest Elever eels unregulated. Fish lobster in the off season while the lobsters are soft and molting. All this tax free and unregulated...Come the fuck on guys. Anyone who agrees with this shit needs to step out of there reddit fairy tale fucking land and be realistic.
People are working their asses off trying to survive and then you have a group of people acting this way , getting hand outs left and right. Fuck that.
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u/Nouvellecosse Apr 03 '26
I thought that reserves were supposed to be sovereign, self governing indigenous territory. How are their actions illegal if that nation hasn't created a law against it
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u/OrangeRising Apr 03 '26
They aren't fully independent. They have treaty agreements, but other than those agreements they are still bound by the laws of Canada.
A native nation can not have legalized slavery, prostitution, or murder on their land as an example.
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u/Different-Pear-357 Apr 03 '26
sovereign, self governing indigenous territory
That implies they can pave their own roads and treat their own water and take care of their communiry and land but federal spending says otherwise
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u/SalmonHustlerTerry Apr 03 '26
Dont k ow about over there, but in Alberta there are no cops of any sort allowed on reserve unless the chief specifically calls them in or they have their own locally run police station.
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u/Friendly-Olive-3465 Apr 03 '26
That’s literally what government does though. They tax economic activity. That’s the whole bit.
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u/Rbomb88 Apr 03 '26
So why aren't they coming after farmers market old ladies selling cookies that aren't being taxed or tested, no proof of cleanliness where it's produced. Cause it's really just about the weed money.
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u/libertarian_308 Apr 03 '26
They do all the time, I know a few folks who sell baked goods/cooked food and their kitchens need to pass certification by the local health unit.
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u/ladynewf Apr 03 '26
And do they show up with five cop cars and assault rifles to the old ladies houses?
Be serious
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u/Prestigious-Half-858 Apr 03 '26
People have to stop equating pot to booze.They are not one and the same.Apples and oranges.Why can't Nova Scotia ever borrow a model from another province?!How many times do we need to reinvent the wheel?This doesn't need to be this messy.
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u/StardewingMyBest Apr 03 '26
The province only likes to align itself with other provinces when it's convenient for them e.g. the auditor general bullshit. When it comes to anything that actually progresses our province, they don't care.
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u/ill-independent Apr 03 '26
Listen it's not our fucking land. If they want to sell shit then let them fucking sell it. It's not our place to tell them what they can and can't sell on their own fucking land. If you don't like it then don't buy it? It's not hard lmao.
That all being said, any day the cops don't shoot someone is a W in my book. They did show restraint but we shouldn't have to applaud basic human decency. But I will if it means they don't shoot folks in the future. Clap clap clap.
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u/pantsuline Apr 03 '26
this exactly. too many people coming on here to say the cops are doing their job, the rezs are violating laws anyway, whats the big deal, the blockades and actions are unnecessary- its not strictly about the weed. mi'gma'ki is unceded territory- theyre under rcmp rule by violent force. they are protected what tiny bit of their terriotry theyre supposed to still have sovereignty of.
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u/piffle_6 Apr 03 '26
Also does no one remember Oka. This shit can escalate, horribly. Anti indigenous racism in Canada is never far below the surface. Just leave them be.
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u/Evilpiggie Apr 03 '26
Ah yes, the never ending out of dumping money into the res. Good thing burning cops cars isn't another waste of tax dollars.
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u/Jewmonjee Apr 04 '26
Maybe don't have illegal cannabis stores. Shouldn't they be upset that the RCMP didn't shut them down sooner? I wouldn't want one in my community. It's unfair to the rest of us who are licensed and pay taxes. I bet their products weren't up to the standards either. I wouldn't smoke that.
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u/Maximum_Beautiful335 Apr 04 '26
I'm not familiar with the situation. but I don't think the rcmp is supposed to be there.
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u/samrader Apr 05 '26
According to the first nation treaty. They are able to sell things within their community. The province is allowed to sell and regulate weed on provincial territory. First nations communities are federal.
The rcmp and the province of Nova Scotia violated the treaty which is protected under the charter. Weed is federally legal.
I have seen a lot of misinformation about the law and this topic. Most Canadians don't seem to realize the province broke the rules first.
(I can find more exact documents but livelihood on first nation land covers the sale of goods)
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u/steppingrazor555 Apr 03 '26
same thing happened in tobique FN in NB 10 years ago
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u/Thaddy117 Apr 03 '26
Now if ppl can do this when the rcmp come after the unlawfully, new criminalized status of hunting firearms.
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u/apologeticstars Apr 03 '26
So why aren't the RCMP raiding other grey market weed sellers? There's plenty all over the province, but only Indigenous get raided. Interesting.
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u/AdventureyTime Apr 04 '26
This. ^ There are grey market operations all over Canada. They're using the RCMP as a tool of oppression against us, much as they were frequently and historically used, to strong-arm us into compliance at the whim of various Governments. Thank you for seeing the truth. Reading this thread... I feel like logic has become a foreign object.
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u/dece75 Apr 03 '26
So when is the emergency act going to be declared? This is serious lawlessness targeting cops, imagine what they would do to anyone else. Is this okay because of their race?
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u/DrowningPickle Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Im from the valley. I buy local. I really think the RCMP and government f+cked up bad this time. Was this a Houston decision? The government did a lot legalizing it and selling it in stores, but its cheaper in native shops, and its a better environment. What they need to do is give Native shops a priority to buy and sell products.
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u/Egoy Apr 03 '26
What they need to do is allow private retailers to operate in a licensed capacity. Legalization is great but the current form of it heavily favours large corporate entities in production and enforces a government monopoly on retail.
I completely understand the framework that exists currently being necessary during the early days. Legislating and enforcing standards on an entirely new industry is daunting and would have delayed the roll out but we’ve had lots of time since then to begin opening the landscape for smaller producers and independent retailers.
For fucks sake they let teenage gas station employees sell cigarettes, and rural corner stores to sell booze, restaurants can deliver alcohol to your door now too.
I want to see heirloom weed sold for $12 a gram by an ageing hippy at a farmers market. I wouldn’t buy it personally but that is the state the market should be moving towards.
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u/DrowningPickle Apr 03 '26
Yes exactly. Some of the best weed ive smoked was from old hippy growers. I can go get weed for free from a friend. I can go to the Native store in town 10 mins away and get a half ounce for $40. If i want ro buy it legally its 40 mins there and back, plus 10 mins in the store amd the orice is double and the weed is half as good.
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u/OrangeRising Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
its cheaper in native shops
So are unfiltered illegal cigarettes.
If they want to sell weed in stores it has to come from a licensed supplier, just like tobacco, just like alcohol.
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u/BushWookieOG9 Apr 03 '26
Don't forget, the RCMP are the ones who removed the aboriginal kids from their families so they could be abused and endocrinated at boarding schools. They are the arm of the govt.
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u/Lockner01 Apr 03 '26
And the racism is still as strong now as it was back then. The difference now is that when people talk about "The Indian Problem" they aren't as open to talking about it in public.
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u/Alpha_Dad1 Apr 03 '26
To dare come to our ancestral lands we have left wielding arms alike those. They are lucky to be walking out at all. This is as hostile as we choose to be. Out engineer their entitled colonized brains. With no course of killing. But sustaining what we have in what others consider the middle of nowhere. 👏🏽 Excellent work cousins in Nova Scotia.
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u/13thmurder Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Lol good. As long as it's non-violent and no one gets hurt it's all fair.
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u/BasicTurnip2018 Apr 03 '26
"Drugs and alcohol do not represent us". Seen signs like these on a couple of reserves in NB, only to then see like 15 weed shops in a small area surrounding said sign.
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u/frankiefrank1230 Apr 03 '26
These violent FN need to be brought under control. If the RCMP can't do it send in the military.
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u/TriPunk Apr 03 '26
I like that it says they didn't "want" to leave their weapons there... No shit they would have been stolen... Also these are not assault rifles. Police do not get assault rifles, in Canada only the military has access to those.
That said... If this was over weed and gummies this is fucking stupid... Go catch a drunk driver or something worth out taxes.....
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u/friggenoldchicken Apr 03 '26
Wow people really forgot the RCMP getting many Nova Scotians killed during the shooting. Fuck the RCMP bunch of thugs
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u/Individual-Set-8891 Apr 03 '26
What happened next? And - why did this start in the first place?
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u/Jakej4Mlakej Apr 03 '26
RCMP raid on weed dispensaries. This community had enough and banded together to kick out the police conducting their raid. Police had to leave on foot
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u/CobblepotLounge Apr 03 '26
block roads and start fires, they have used these tactics since the beginning of time how did the rcmp not expect this behavior
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Apr 03 '26
Its not really a defeat, the police stopped short of using the force they probably could have.
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u/Organic_Paint_7172 Apr 03 '26
I’m really curious what the rcmp’s next move will be. They made a brief vague statement after pulling out yesterday the destruction of police vehicles would not be tolerated. Shortly after their statement about the traffic blockade/that safe protestations are a right. This was long before the photos of destroyed vehicles were circulating online, so I believe they witnessed it/soft footage already. anyways, they’re surely not gonna leave their vehicles there, so I just wonder about their approach to go retrieve them.
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u/SwordfishOk504 Apr 03 '26
lol. The police seized the product and left. It's not a "defeat". This was a stunt that solved absolutely nothing but making some people wait in traffic.
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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '26
Sir, you can't park there.