Natives vow to protect
Mother Earth
By Steve MacInnis, Cape Breton Post, October 29, 1998
A unique environmental conference this week in Sydney is
serving notice that Nova Scotia's native community is
assuming the role as protector of Mother Earth.
"We want to be consulted on every single project. We feel
Nova Scotia is still our land and our responsibility," said
Bernie Francis, a workshop leader at the Wskitqamu First
Nations Environment Conference which concludes today
in Eskasoni.
Francis said provincial Mi'kmaq learned their lesson from
the Middle Shoal dredging project and have vowed such
an incident will never happen again.
The dredging project was about 90 per cent complete
before a Federal Court judge ruled environment and
company officials failed to properly consult the native
community about possible effects the project would have
on fishing in the Bras d'Or Lake. The project was ordered
shut down.
"The Mi'kmaq people plan to take on a larger role as
caretaker of Mother Earth. We need to be consulted to
ensure there is no impact on our resources and this
conference is serving that notice," said Francis.
His view is shared by conference organizer Kim Paul, who
heads environmental technical services for the Union of
Nova Scotia Indians. "We have to strengthen and gain a
better understanding of environmental issues facing First
Nations and the impact such measures have on our
communities," said Paul, adding this conference serves to
foster a spirit of co-operation between natives and
non-natives.
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