C’est avec une profonde tristesse que nous avons appris que Christian Brun, notre ami, Président de la Fédération et le Secrétaire-exécutif de l’UPM, est décédé lors d’un accident de la route dans la péninsule acadienne. Comme d’habitude Christian se dirigeait à une réunion de pêcheurs. Nos plus sincères condoléances à sa famille, ses proches et amis de la grande famille de l’UPM pour cette énorme perte pour nous tous.

It is with great sadness that we learned that our dear friend Christian Brun, President of the Federation and Executive-Secretary of the MFU  in a road accident in north-eastern New Brunswick. Christian was headed, as he often was, to a fishermen’s meeting. Our deepest sympathy to his family, all those close to him in the extended MFU family and beyond for this enormous loss to us all.

 

Nous avons reçu des hommages émouvants à Christian de partout à travers le pays que nous voulons partager avec vous en son honneur. Vous pouvez partager vos souvenirs de Christian en envoyant un message à: info@fed-fede.ca 

There have been many moving tributes to Christian from across the fishing industry.  We wanted to share them in his honour. You can share your memories of Christian by sending a message to info@fed-fede.ca

 

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"So very sad - such a young vibrant leader, community and family man and there are just no words. I will say a prayer for his family for sure."

Ginny Boudreau; Managing Director; Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen’s Association

 

"It is with great sadness we receive this news. Christian will be greatly missed. Our love and condolences to all his family and friends."

Kim Olsen; President; United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union – UNIFOR

 

"We are shocked and saddened by the news. Christian's family and all fish harvesters in our county have suffered a great loss. Our thoughts are with his friends and family."

Keith Sullivan; President; Fish, Food and Allied Workers – FFAW - UNIFOR

 

"This is very sad special prayers for his family and it is indeed a major loss to the fishing industry. He was a wonderful advocate for the inshore fishery and will be missed by everyone."

Norma Richardson; Eastern Shore Fishermen’s Protective Association

 

"What terrible and tragic news. I found Christian to be a dedicated advocate and it was an honour to know him."

Phillip Saunders; Dalhousie Law School

 

"Very sad accident robbing us a valued friend and colleague and a family of a devoted father. Just terrible."

Gordon Beaton; President MFU Local 4

 

"Our deepest condolences to the MFU for the tragic and much too early loss of Christian. He was such a bright light for the independent fleet and for the future of fisheries in Atlantic Canada, a warm, kind and intelligent person. We are so very sorry and are feeling a shared sense of loss and grief with so many of the people we have worked with and come to know over the past several years, through the Federation, the MFU and the CFRN. We send our thoughts to Christian's family in particular."

Sincerely, the marine team at the Ecology Action Centre Susanna, Katie, Heather, Chelsey, Shannon, Colleen, Susanna Fuller and the staff at EAC

 

"Deeply saddened by this tragedy.  Nos sympathies à la famille." 

Graeme Gawn; President; MFU Local 9

 

 

"Such sad news, it is difficult to absorb.  He did so much for our owner-operator cause.  He will be remembered well for his good work and dedication."  

Our deepest sympathies,

Maria Recchia; Fundy North Fishermen’s Association

 

"Learning of the tragic loss of a trusted friend and colleague has left me with feelings of shock and sorrow. Christian was a great leader who was able to build bridges across many great divides. His passing is a great loss for the fishing industry, the Acadian community, New Brunswick and indeed for Canada! While we will all feel his loss, our thoughts and prayers are with Christian’s family at this time."

Morley Knight; Regional Director General DFO Maritimes Region

 

"This is very tragic.  I am very saddened to hear of this.  This is a terrible loss to the Canadian fishing community."

Murdoch McAlister; UBC Institute for Fisheries and Oceans

 

"Terrible news, our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Brendan Doyle

 

"How incredibly tragic. I’m so sorry."

Robert Chisholm 

 

"Really sad news – and hard to take in. A real leader who has always cared so deeply about the fishery and for the people that make their living from it – and a very good guy as well.

 It really makes you think -- and it certainly puts into perspective what is truly important."

Kevin Stringer; Associate Deputy Minister; DFO Ottawa

 

"Sad news he will be missed by all."

Ronald Heighton; Northumberland Fishermen’s Association 

 

"C'est avec une grande tristesse qu’on apprend le décès d’un ami ! D’un leader! D’un grand défenseur des intérêts des pêcheurs des maritimes ! À sa famille ! À ses amis ! A l’ UPM ! Nos sincères condoléances ! Bon courage !"

Mario Déraspe; Président; Association des pêcheurs propriétaires des Iles de la Madeleine

 

"Tragic news. This loss is felt deeply across our country.

This is so hard to comprehend, so unfair.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Christian’s family."

Jim McIsaac; BC Commercial Fishing Caucus; Victoria, BC

 

"Toutes mes sympathies a la famille et aux proches de Christian. Il s’agit d’une petite communauté quand même (la pêche côtière), une vrai tragédie.  Ce fut vraiment un grand plaisir de travailler avec lui, une grosse perte pour l’industrie."

Alexandre Séguin; Ottawa

 

"I guess we are all under shock by this terrible news.

Nous sommes tous en état de choc devant une aussi mauvaise nouvelle, Christian était un de nos leaders des plus engagé et engageant. À l’échelle nationale, nous ne sommes pas un gros groupe d’employés travaillant à défendre l’intérêt de nos pêcheurs. C’est un petit groupe de gens très motivés pour les bonnes raisons. La perte de l’un des membres de « l’équipe » nous affecte tous.

À sa conjointe, à sa fille, à sa famille, mes condoléances les plus sincères.

À la famille de l’UPM aussi; le départ de Christian va laisser un grande vide. Il était fier de son groupe et de son personnel. Il faudra relever le défi!.

 

In the small group of staff working for fishermen’s associations, even with difference of opinions, we are a family of dedicated peoples. To loose a member in such a tragic accident leave us speechless.

To his daughter, to his family, to the larger MFU family, we offer our sympathy."

With sorrow, avec peine, nous perdons un ami

Jean Lanteigne; FRAPP

 

"Shock and dismay!

A loss to all of us but especially to his family."

Veronika Brzeski; LFA 27 Fishermen’s Association

 

"Let me concur with all that has been genuinely expressed here. Christian was an extraordinary talent and personality. This tragedy leaves a daunting void for all that knew and loved him. Let us pray for all to find the strength to see this through."

Peter Connors; President; Eastern Shore Fishermen’s Protective Association

 

 

"I am so saddened and heartbroken to hear of the loss of Christian. He was a force. The fishing industry has lost a powerful advocate, and the world has lost a great man.

My thoughts continue to be with you all. We must all harness Christian’s passion and keep it alive in the work we do."

Dwan Street, M.A., M.M.S; Projects Coordinator; FFAW-Unifor

 

"Christian avait une vaste connaissance tant des politiques que des écrits dans le domaine des pêches. De plus, il était engagé. Il avait un sens profond du respect, de la justice et de l’équité envers les participants de l’industrie des pêches.  Nous nous souviendrons longtemps de lui et de ses interventions pondérées. Nous souhaitons nos plus profondes condoléances à sa fille, ses parents, ses proches et à l’UPM…Qu’il repose en paix…"

Omer Chouinard; Université de Moncton

 

"It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the tragic and untimely death of Christian Brun, Executive Secretary of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union and President of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvester’s Federation, in a motor vehicle accident in New Brunswick yesterday.  A founding member of the Canadian Fisheries Research Network, Christian served on our Board of Directors and actively shaped our research projects, especially the Lobster Node and Project 1.1, believing strongly in the value of the collaborative approach of the Network.  Christian was a very unique and special person, highly intelligent, articulate, a passionate advocate for independent fish harvesters and coastal fishing communities, a proud Acadian, published poet, devoted father, and an artistic soul.  Our thoughts are with his daughter, family and friends as we struggle to process this incomprehensible loss and collectively share their grief across the country."

Susan Thompson; Manager Canadian Fisheries Research Network

 

"On behalf of the Ocean Canada Partnership, I send our deepest condolences to the family of Christian Brun for this shocking, sad and untimely death of an amazing colleague, who is actually too young to go now.Christian will be missed sorely by all of us – RIP Christian."

Rashid Sumaila; Professor and Director of OceanCanada ; The University of British Columbia; Vancouver, BC, Canada

 

"Mes condoléances les plus sincères à vous pour cette tragédie."

Doug Chiasson; World Wildlife Fund

 

"Such a smart, warm, good and decent person gone. I am so very sad. Thinking of you and all of Christian's friends and family."

Peter Meisenheimer; Anishinabek / Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre; North Bay, ON

 

 

"I am so shocked and sadness to hear of Christian's death. He was such a treasure and wealth of knowledge and perspective. We had scheduled a research interview for next week and I was looking forward to his commentary on my research framework and findings. This is so sad. "

Sharmane Allen; St. John’s, NL

 

"Quelle perte!

J’en suis renversé."

Bernard Sainte-Marie Chef et chercheur scientifique, Sciences benthiques; Institut Maurice-Lamontagne

 

"It is with great sadness that I received the tragic news of the untimely death of our friend and colleague. Christian was small in stature, but stood very tall in the fishing industry in the country. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to his MFU family, many of whom I have known and worked closely with for the last 23 years. To his friends and colleagues in the CCPFH and the Independent Fish Harvesters Federation and federal and provincial departments, we have lost a tireless worker for the cause of fish harvesters in this country. He leaves behind a large hole in our organizations and in our hearts. We are all the stronger because of his contribution and friendship."

Bill Broderick; FFAW

 

"I was so sorry to see all the emails about Christian when I got home from Europe today.  He was one of the great champions of the fishing industry and should have been so for much, much longer.  It seems incredible that only a couple of weeks ago he was passionately explaining the inshore communities to the Seafood Value Chain Round Table.  We will all miss him there. Please do pass on our condolences to the family and all his colleagues."

Christina Burridge; BC Seafood Alliance

 

Brian Guptill; President; Grand Manan Fishermen's Association

Depuis l’annonce du décès de Christian notre ami, ma tristesse est grande, simplement,  qu’il m’est impossible de décrire ce que je ressens. Mes plus sincères condoléances à sa famille, à tous ses amis, à l’UPM.  

Since the announcement of the death of Christian our friend, my sadness is great, merely that it is impossible for me to describe what I feel. My most sincere condolences to his family, to all his friends, to the MFU.

Jean-Pierre Couillard, Directeur général; Association des capitaines propriétaires de la Gaspésie

In early October 2014 I was attending a
fisheries meeting in St. Andrews New
Brunswick. Christian was there, as he
always seemed to be at such meetings,
thoughtful and incisive. One evening a
group of us sat outside around a fire –
we were staying at the Algonquin Hotel
and the weather was fine – singing
songs on borrowed guitars until we
were told to shut things down. That
didn’t put an end to the party of course.
We went back to somebody’s room, a
smaller group, but hardy. Christian
fished out a bottle of some liquid that he
shared around, and I put some music on from my phone, Manu Chao. If that wasn’t
the start of something. Christian started regaling us with his knowledge of African
music. Before I knew it he was scribbling names of artists and groups I had to listen
to on a scrap of hotel stationery. He filled both sides of the page, twenty or more
names in his distinctive handwriting. Most of them obscure by North American
standards, but Christian knew them all by heart, and took great pleasure in telling us
about each one.

I will miss him very much.

Bon voyage mon homme.

Eric Angel, Vancouver, BC

 

My commiserations to his family and to his CFRN colleagues.  VERY very sad.

Rosemary Ommer; University of Victoria

 

“The death of Christian is such a great loss. I have fond memories of him and his important contributions to CFRN. My condolences and prayers go to his family and friends in this difficult time.”

 Sylvain Langlois; Research Partnerships, NSERC

 

“This is difficult news indeed. We have all lost a capable and committed colleague, and his family so very much more. Condolences to all.”

Kevin Squires; President; Local 6, Maritime Fishermen’s Union

 

“I am very saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Christian.  Christian was such a warm and vibrant person.  I always enjoyed discussing any number of topics with him.  He will be sorely missed.  My thoughts are with his family.”

Lisa Setterington; Senior Science Advisor; DFO Ottawa

 

“It is with great sadness to hear of this life which has been taken away at such an early age. I had the opportunity to talk and work with Christian. He worked tirelessly for all inshore fishermen and all inshore communities. He has left his mark on us all. He will be missed. To his family we offer our deepest sympathy. You are in our thoughts and prayers. To the MFU family your pain is shared by all of your friends in the inshore fishing communities from across Canada.

 It is with a heavy heart that we grieve together.”

Leonard LeBlanc; Managing Director; Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board 

 

“So sorry to hear of the loss of one who was a great leader in the fishing industry. May God bless and guide his family in this difficult time. May he rest in peace.”

 Tony Doyle, Inshore Council FFAW

 

“I just heard the devastating news, and am without words.  Christian was such a beautiful person, what a tragedy....” 

 Rémy Rochette; University of New Brunswick

“Nous sommes en état de choc depuis cette nouvelle, des gars engagés comme Christian sont rare il va laisser un grand vide.

 Mes plus sincères condoléances à sa famille.”  

 Vincent Dupuis; Président; Association des Capitaines-Propriétaires de la Gaspésie

 

“We are all lamenting the loss of a true leader. He has been taken from us too soon.

 Deepest condolences to Christian's family, friends and kin.”

Jeff MacDonald; DFO Ottawa

 

“My sincere condolences to family, colleagues and friends of this great man. May he rest in peace and continue to inspire us when we will remember all the passion and dedication he had for the oceans.” 

Lyne Morissette; General Manager; M – Expertise Marine

 

“I greatly admired Christian personally and professionally. Such a loss for his family, friends, and the Canadian fisheries community.”

Ashleen Benson; President; Landmark Fisheries Research

 

“I was shocked and horrified to hear of Christian's death.  He was such an impressive young man, and I was always amazed at how he kept up with the fisheries literature and spread it around. Even though I didn't know him well personally, I already miss him very much! Condolences and best wishes to all who worked with and cared about him.”

 Evelyn Pinkerton; Simon Fraser University

 

“As a recently retired inshore fisherman and longtime member of the MFU, I am very much saddened by the news of the passing of Christian Brun. I regarded him as a driving force greatly benefitting the work the MFU has been striving to accomplish over the years since his involvement. I know the MFU will miss him dearly as will his many friends and family.”

Carlton Lunn

 

Le décès subite de Christian nous a frappé comme un tsunami dans notre organisation. Quelle tristesse et quelle grande perte! Sincères condoléances à sa fille, sa conjointe, ces parents, sa soeur et sa famille!  Mes sympathies aussi à sa deuxième famille celle de l'UPM. Bon courage! Repose en paix cher Christian xo

 Eda Roussel; Conseillère aux pêches; Association des Crevettiers acadiens du Golfe; Association des Pêcheurs professionnels membres d'équipage