Membertou says toxic waste hurt fishing, wants compensation
A native community is seeking
compensation from the federal
government for a loss of fishing
due to contamination from
canada's worst toxic waste site.
Membertou Chief Terry
Paul said a letter was sent May
informing Ottawa of its
request for monetary reimbursement
for the community,
located about three kilometres
(as the crow flies), from the
Sydney tar ponds and coke
ovens sites.
"People have difficulty comprehending
what we mean by aboriginal title.
Before anyone, we were here on
this land. In the area where it's damaged by
the ponds, this is where we
used to fish. This was our
livelihood."
When studies were done
around the Sydney harbour for
planned sewer outfall work,
arrowheads were found, he
said.
"They were at least 250
years old. If that doesn't prove
our presence there, I don't
how what would."
There was a native community
located along Sydney harbour
around the turn of the
century. That community was
forced to relocate to what is
now known as Membertou,
which has a population of just
under 1,000.
Paul said discussions are
expected to take place between
the native community and government
in the coming
months. Talks will also centre
around remediation options
recently selected by residents
of the Cape Breton Regional
municipality via a workbook
exercise. About 1,800 residents
participated and the majority
selected permanent removal
and destruction as the way of
remediating the 700,000 tonnes
of toxic s1udge and 60 hectares
of highly contaminated land.
"It doesn't matter who
decided what, we would like to
have our experts in there to
determine the best method.
"The government is obligated to
help us do this."
Paul said he is aware non-native
residents have participated
in a process known as
the Joint Action Group since
1997, and a Membertou resident
was a member for a short time,
but added the community
would prefer an independent
person to study the option.
"I don't know if burning it
is the best thing."
He said the community's
aim is to "make sure we do it
the best way possible. It's not
to say that we don't agree with
a lot of what has happened. All
we're saying is that there is a
legal obligation for the federal
government to consult with us
and to mitigate issues satisfactorily.
That's all we're asking for."
Paul said Membertou residents
are just being cautious.
"We've been told there are
no health problems but we've
been told a lot of things. We
can't help but be cynical about
what government tells us. We
need to find out and be satisfied
ourselves through independent people."
He added that "we're helping
the public too by doing
this. We're in a position to do
something and government
has no choice because it has a
legal obligation to deal with
us."
The native community will
also make sure governments
do cleanup the mess.
"We'll ensure this issue is
on the top burner right off the
bat. We want this cleaned up.
It may take past our generation.
But that's fine. We have to
start it."
Paul said he can "envision
ourselves and our kids at some
point swimming in those
waters."
It might cost a lot of money,
"but in the long run it's an
investment in our children
and their future and the future
of all the species that are
around us. They're in trouble,
we need to do something to
help it out.
tcmacdonald@cbpost.com
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