PICTOU LANDING, N.S. — A hastily organized rally in Pictou Landing First Nation drew a crowd of supporters on Dec. 19 to remind Premier Stephen McNeil of his promise to close Boat Harbour on Jan. 31, 2020.
The rally was held in response to a large demonstration organized by those in favour of an extension to the Boat Harbour Act outside of the Nova Scotia Legislature that same day.
The message from Pictou Landing First Nation was clear: “The date is the date”
“You don’t get to 42 days and decide that this is not the date,” said Pictou Landing First Nation Chief Andrea Paul.
In the community’s school gymnasium, Paul spoke with members of her council and a community elder to a crowd of people wearing red A’se’K shirts and waving signs saying, "honor the Boat Harbour Closure" and "No Pipe."
So far, Paul told The News, she has yet to hear personally from McNeil. For Paul, that’s a good sign.
“Because of the relationship we’ve had, I feel like if he had reached out to me before tomorrow, then it wouldn’t be good news.”
Environment Minister Gordon Wilson made no mention of Boat Harbour on Dec. 17 when he announced that more information is needed from Northern Pulp on its proposed effluent treatment facility and no mention from anyone in the Nova Scotia government has been made since. Premier McNeil said he would address the issue, Dec. 20.
Because of the relationship we’ve had, I feel like if he had reached out to me before tomorrow, then it wouldn’t be good news. - Chief Andrea Paul
Without an extension, Northern Pulp says that it will close, which the company has long warned would result in thousands of job losses in the forestry, sector including more than 300 jobs at the mill. The company again reiterated that warning in a news release sent Dec. 19.
- BACKGROUND: Expected Northern Pulp, Boat Harbour decisions come after years of controversy
- TIMELINE: A post-colonial history of Boat Harbour
"Northern Pulp Nova Scotia will be forced to notify its workforce and suppliers that if the Government of Nova Scotia does not extend the Baot Harbour Acr deadline for use of the Boat Harbour effluent treatment facility, the company will take the necessary steps to shut down the facility."
"It's a classic pulp mill gun to the head and Nova Scotian's are sick of it," said Raymond Plourde of the Ecology Action Centre during an interview in Pictou Landing.
For Wade Prest, ex-president of the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners Association, the damage done to the forestry sector would not be fatal if the mill were to close.
There would be short-term job losses, but it wouldn’t be near as catastrophic as it has been projected by the industry - Wade Prest.
“There would be short-term job losses, but it wouldn’t be near as catastrophic as it has been projected by the industry,” said Prest who was among those gathered at Pictou Landing.
“The province should have mitigation plans in place already for those job losses and for how we’ll get through this period of time,” he said. “And in the medium term we should be able to get out of this with a much healthier and more sustainable forestry sector than we have now.”
Speaking about the effect that pollution in Boat Harbour has had on PLFN Paul in her speech invoked the memories of community’s elders who knew the estuary as ‘A’se’k.’
“It was a place of well-being. It was the place that centered them emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. It fed them, it gave them medicine, it provided so much.”
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