BUDLEDEC FIRST NATION, NS – A recent RCMP raid on a cannabis shop located on Budledec First Nation has led to community protests and allegations of excessive force, as reported by CBC News on Thursday.

According to the broadcast, police executed a search warrant, seizing cannabis products and arresting two individuals. Residents reported that RCMP officers arrived with firearms drawn, causing trauma to community members. Kenny Basque, whose son owns the shop, stated he was asserting treaty rights.

The Mi'kmaq Nation maintains that selling cannabis is a treaty right, a position the government disputes. The government bases its stance on a court decision stating that interpretations of treaties require a foundational justification, which it claims has not been established for cannabis sales outside the existing legal framework. However, a commentator on the broadcast stated that the lower court decision was incorrect, arguing it fails to recognize constitutionally protected rights.

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