Concerts to rally support against oil and gas exploration
By Wes Stewart - Music Section
Cape Breton Post
Thursday, July 3, 2003
See also Sierra Club's National Site on the Cape Breton Oil and Gas Issue
Ottawa - Artists will be
performing at two concerts this
summer to rally support for
protests against oil and gas
exploration off Cape Breton.
The Save our Seas and
Shore Coalition announced the
Phillip Glass and Friends Concert
will be held Saturday at the
National Arts Centre in
Ottawa, featuring Cape Breton
and internationally renowned
artists.
The coalition of fishermen,
First Nations,
tourist and
environmental
groups launched its
2003 summer
campaign to
rally support to
protect the
fishery, endangered species
and seascapes
in near shore Cape Breton.
It is a protest by SOSS to prevent
oil companies Hunt Oil
and Corridor Resources from
conducting seismic exploration
this winter on three leases off
Sydney and Cheticamp.
Sierra Club of Canada executive
director Elizabeth May
said it has been a four-year
campaign and more work lies
ahead.
"We are looking at a long
term campaign and awareness
raising."
To do that they have organized
concerts in Ottawa and
Cape Breton.
"We want to bring people in
Ottawa and Cape Breton
together to have a good time
and (at the same time) protest
the exploration offshore, " she
said.
The Phillip Glass and
Friends Concert features some
of Canada's outstanding musical
performers including Rita
MacNeil, Gaelic singer Mary
Jane Lamond and fiddler
Kendra Macgillivray.
Major Canadian star Colin
James joins a pan-Canadian
lineup with Lorena McKennett
and the McGarrigle sisters.
The new blues sensation
Chocolate Genius from New
York also will perform.
In August, Cape Breton will
be the scene of two musical
events - Aug. 10 at the Savoy
Theatre, Glace Bay and Aug. 11
at Strathspey Place in Mabou -
as SOSS hosts more awareness
raising concerts.
Guitarist and composer
Scott MacMillan has been lining
up the talent with Gordie
Sampson, Mary Jane Lamond,
Brian Doyle, Dawn Beaton,
local Gaelic singers and fiddlers
committed so far, May said.
"Some places are just too
important to existing industries
like fishery and tourism
and too sensitive environmentally
to allow oil and gas," she said.
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