Natives Allowed To Hunt at Night

The Supreme Court of Canada has given a group of Canadian First Nations people the right to hunt at night despite the fact that night hunting is illegal throughout Canada.

Ten years ago two men from the Tsartlip reservation on Vancouver Island were hunting at night with rifles and electric torches (what I would assume would be spotlights). The two men bagged a deer, but it turned out the deer was in fact a decoy set up by conservation officers. They were arrested, but they argued that night hunting is a tradition guarunteed in the treaty their band signed with the government in 1852.

The case has apparentlty bounced around the different courts for the past decade until it was heard by the Supreme Court which ruled in the mens favour even though they were split on the issue, saying that public safety should outweigh all other concerns, even aboriginal rights.

The Supreme Courts decision will have undoubtedly opened a can of worms when other native groups and individuals start challenging current laws that conflict with long standing native traditions.

What is going to take priority, one group of peoples ancient traditions that are no longer necessary in todays modern world, or the public safety of the rest of Canada ?