The federal government owes compensation to residents of Pictou Landing First Nation for allowing Boat Harbour to be destroyed by effluent from Northern Pulp, Green Party leader Elizabeth May said during an election campaign stop in Halifax Tuesday.
The consequence of the decades of pollution destroyed the community's traditional fishing grounds, violating Section 35 of the constitution that recognizes First Nation people’s rights, May said during a meeting with The Chronicle Herald.
“We violated the rights of the people of Pictou Landing. We lied to them and told them their fishing grounds would be fine even with Boat Harbour being created as a place for toxic waste from the mill to fester.”
She said the federal government should be leading a discussion with the community and Chief Andrea Paul on fair compensation and that it should extend to everyone in the community.
May stopped short of saying what amount of money would be acceptable but added that the provincial government should also share in the cost of compensation for permitting the company to pump effluent in Boat Harbour.
“We know with certainty that the Liberal sweep of all the Atlantic provinces is not going to happen again but in that flux of votes the Greens are going to pick up seats, for sure.”
- Elizabeth May, Green Party leader
“The department of environment also lied to the people of Pictou Landing and said Boat Harbour would still be a lovely place for your fishing grounds. Lie after lie after lie.”
May insists that the mill ought to be closed down and the federal government also take the lead in transitioning the workforce into other skilled jobs while ensuring older workers have access to their pensions immediately.
May, fresh off her visit to Charlottetown on Monday, has been pushing a number of Green Party campaign promises, including abolishing tuition fees, zeroing in on sustainable agriculture, and launching a national pharmacare program.
She said she is “confident that the Liberals’ unchallenged position in Atlantic Canada is over and she`s optimistic about her party’s chances.
“We know with certainty that the Liberal sweep of all the Atlantic provinces is not going to happen again but in that flux of votes the Greens are going to pick up seats, for sure,” said May. “The fact that P.E.I. has an official opposition that is Green, the fact that we've gone from one seat in New Brunswick to a caucus in New Brunswick. We`re seeing a real movement in Nova Scotia.”
She pledged that her party would confront two major forces threatening democracy in Canada: “Backroom strategists having too much power and transnational corporations that have too much access and influence.”
“That’s why people should vote Green, because we’re actually willing to take that on and take a big broom to Ottawa and do some heavy duty house cleaning,” said May.
“Canadians are sick of being disappointed. I think they're very tired of seeing people come into elected office and violate basic ethical codes. You should be prepared to work hard for your constituents and your constant focus should be in the best interest of Canada and Canadians.”
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