Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia - News
Aug 3, 2021 Press Release - from SuNNS
In Colchester North, only Liberal Candidate fails to voice support for French River watershed regulations
Gold mining in the French River Watershed, which has been proposed by the Department of Energy and Mines of Nova Scotia, has a huge risk of contaminating the pristine waters of the French River, in the short term and in fact for well over a century. Alternative economic solutions to the destructive practices of gold mining exist that support the growth of local economies. We therefore asked all North Colchester candidates whether they support the immediate adoption of the proposed French River Watershed Regulations, which includes a ban on mining. The Liberals are the only party that does not support the approval of the water regulations. See all responses below.
Background On January 30th, 2020 the Colchester County Municipal Council unanimously approved regulations carefully developed by the Tatamagouche Source Water Protection Committee over a 2-year period. On May 11th, 2020 all required documentation was sent to the Minister of the Environment by the Council. Here we are, over a year later, and the Minister has not adopted these regulations. The Municipality carried out a thorough democratic process, including three well-attended public meetings, a survey of watershed landowners and meetings with stakeholders, which led to changes in the proposed regulations. In addition, a petition of over 1000 signatures asking the Province to protect the French River Watershed was presented to the NS Legislature in March 2019 by our MLA, Karen Casey. Further, over 200 letters and Emails have been sent to the Minister in recent months.
Candidates’ responses (in alphabetical order of last name)
Ivan Drouin, Green Party I support the proposed French River Watershed regulations and also support a ban on mining in the French River watershed.
I attended the Municipality of Colchester Council meeting when the Council approved the regulations. I think this approval did not go far enough.
The Green Party holds the view that mining and other economic developments should be assessed with a climate lens. This means that developments should be sustainable and have a long term as opposed to short term gain and profit. They should be analysed with a full accounting approach that takes into consideration the impact on the landscape, the animals and fish in the area, the social and health cost to the population, and of course the cost of the clean- up which until now has fallen to the taxpayer.
Sean Foley, NDP Colchester North NDP and candidate Sean Foley will definitely and forcefully support the proposal from the Municipality of the County of Colchester to protect the French River watershed. It is shocking that more than a year ago the Municipal Council submitted a unanimous request to the NS Department of Environment and Climate Change to adopt the regulations under the NS Environment Act to protect the watershed against mining activities. It is unacceptable that no response has come from the Ministers of Environment to this urgent request.
An NDP government would do more to protect watersheds and the natural environment from destructive natural resource development: we would pass an Environmental Bill of Rights, institute stronger Environmental Assessment processes that allow more community input, and make adjustments to our mineral rights regime.
Merlyn Smith, Liberal Party I am aware that the application has been put forward to the Department of Environment - and if elected, I would be committed to following up on the status of your request.
As your MLA, I would look forward to further discussion on all community concerns and priorities.
Tom Taggart, PC Party As a sitting Colchester County Councillor I was proud to vote in favour of the proposed French River Watershed Regulations and stand in full support of their implementation. This support includes the ban of mining in the watershed.
In addition after my election as MLA I hope to work with you to champion the immediate implementation of these regulations.
Aug 5 2020 How Microbes could help clean up NS former gold mines
July 30, 2020 Residents still Calling for justice after Mount Polley BC Disaster
Aug 5, 2020 New global standards for mine waste won’t prevent dam failures, critics say
June 6 2020
Letter to Minister of Environment from NS Chapter, Council of Canadians
June 2, 2020 New report details spread of COVID-19 through global mining industry | CTV News
A new report detailing COVID-19 outbreaks in mining facilities is accusing dozens of mining companies of prioritizing profit at the expense of the health of workers and local communities by continuing to operate during the pandemic.
April 14, 2020 How to protect your community against the mining industry - Joan Kuyek
Here is the link https://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/talking-radical-radio/2020/04/how-protect-your-community-mining-industry
April 14th 2020 - SuNNS Press Release
April 1st 2020 : Tailings a problem long mines close. Excellent commentary (below) on Atlantic Gold PR - particularly in respect to tailings management. It appeared in the Chronicle Herald Wed, April 1st :
March 27, 2020 St Mary’s River Association launches campaign webpage as Atlantic Gold pushes, NOPE campaign opens channel for citizen engagement.
The St. Mary’s River Association, a leading voice for conservation and protection of the Nova Scotia’s longest river has launched a new website to engage and inform citizens about the threat of gold mining in the watershed.
https://www.thegoldmineconversation.com/
March 3, 2020 Halifax Examiner article - Joan Baxter reports on PDAC Mar 2020 Mining Conference
Hundreds of protestors from a network of 50 organizations blocked the entrances to the Toronto Convention Centre on Sunday in a “People Before Profit: Evict the Corporate Villains!” rally to protest the opening of the four-day Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) annual convention. For four hours they sang, shouted, danced, drummed, and decried mining injustices in Canada and around the world.
https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/province-house/coronavirus-convention/
SuNNS Press Release January 31, 2020
SuNNS Congratulates Colchester County Council for Voting to Protect Water Resources
“Water is one of our most precious resources, critical to our local economy and the survival of natural systems and habitats.”
Jan 30th 2020 - CBC.ca: Colchester County to vote on proposal to ban mining near drinking-water source.
2019
2019 Oct 29th - Auditor General warns of unknown costs of remediating NS’s abandoned mines
attach article from CBC
2019 Sept 24th at the Climate First Tour meeting on Tue night in Halifax, SuNNS member Hannah Martin and David Suzuki with our WATER NOT GOLD Sign !
August 13 2019
“It is critical that any person who wishes to participate in public engagement is able to do so in an atmosphere that is open, accessible, and safe,” states Lisa Mitchell, Executive Director of the East Coast Environmental Law Association. “John Perkins was not given that opportunity.”
SuNNS, the Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia Society, agrees. It views Atlantic Gold’s conduct as “an attempt to suppress open civil discourse and engagement by members of the public in a public process, an action which is unacceptable in a democratic society.”
Feb 4th 2019 - article test link !
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1t4MsG7NuGbXp9cLjOLOq4VAJ5xQHxpl7
March 2019
County to request delay in RFP for gold exploration, mining (p.3)
April 2019
Group seeks revisions to Mineral Resources Act (p.7)
May 2019
Fool's Gold: Nova Scotia's myopic pursuit of metals and minerals (4 part series by Tatamagouche resident, journalist and author Joan Baxter)
Gold standard not good (Voice of the people, Chronicle Herald)
Walking Warwick Mountain (p.2)
May 24th 2019 - A SuNNS Member was attending a public information meeting on the proposed Cochrane Hill mine.. A security guard working for Atlantic Gold called police to have John Perkins removed from the meeting. See the 2 news articles below
Jan 25th 2019 - Arsenic-leaking drillhole deliberately left unfixed by province, documents show | CBC. The hole, is located along an unpaved road branching off from Warwick Mountain Road. The department of energy & mines should have disclosed information about the leak as soon as it was discovered. The incident highlights a lack of regulatory oversight and enforcement, the "canary in the coal mine." "This is a wake-up call for citizens in the Tatamagouche area,
Jan 2019 - SuNNS Press Release - Nova Scotia Ministry of Energy and Mines Withholds Toxic Leak Information
“Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia (SuNNS) members, the 900 signatories to our petition opposing gold mining exploration or development in the French River Watershed and the population of Tatamagouche are shocked by the news that the Ministry of Energy and Mines has withheld information about a leaking exploration drill hole contaminating the French River Watershed area with arsenic and iron” says SuNNS spokesperson John Perkins.
SuNNS Press Release Feb 4, 2019 - Ministry of Energy and Mines Backtracks on No Plan to Cap Contaminating Drill Hole
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XBNaKOeHIe4Bf4AIxY_AgV0T0yvsmlyR
2018
July 2018 Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia (SuNNS) commissioned an expert, Dr. Ann Maest from Boulder, Colorado to evaluate the impacts of exploration and mining on the French River watershed. Dr Maest has studied the environmental impacts of these types of mines around the world and was a research geochemist in the U.S. Geological Survey.
Ann Maest Report - Press Release, Full Report and Key Statements