Cape Breton Post

Protecting sacred land

Protesters gather, slow traffic to object mining projects on Kellys Mountain

- BY JEREMY FRASER

Elizabeth Marshall couldn’t believe what she was seeing when she learned about the hopes of the Mining Associatio­n of Nova Scotia.

“I didn’t believe that anybody could be so arrogant and so disrespect­ful to the sacred,” said Marshall.

The Mining Associatio­n of Nova Scotia recently expressed its hope that the provincial government would revisit the protected area status to strike a better balance between protecting land and creating jobs.

Last month, the associatio­n released a report stating that Cape Breton is being disproport­ionately by the provincial government’s Parks and Protected Areas Plan, which limits or prevents mining on the developmen­t of 154 known mineral occurrence­s on the island.

One of the potential quarry projects is an aggregate deposit in Victoria County, which is completely covered by the Kluscap Wilderness Area, which Mi’kmaq say is sacred.

On Saturday, close to 40 protesters gathered near Seal Island Bridge in New Harris to rally against mining on Kluscap Mountain, known to many as Kellys Mountain.

The protest lasted about an hour with traffic on the bridge reduced to one lane for 45 minutes. Highway 105 near the bridge was also closed in both directions for 15 minutes as protesters held a ceremony in the middle of the highway.

“The Mi’kmaq people are considered second-class citizens in Nova Scotia,” said Marshall.

“There is racism everywhere within the justice system, within the economic systems, within the government system, within the province and the feds, so it doesn’t shock me at all at that mentality, that arrogance would spill over in a let’s make some money off the rocks type of thing.”

The protest began at the entrance of KOA campground, with supporters marching to the entrance of the Seal Island Bridge, many holding banners and signs.

Protesters had planned to walk across the bridge in an attempt to shut down traffic, however were told by the RCMP they weren’t allowed due to safety reasons.

As traffic moved through the protest, many motorists showed their support for protesters by honking horns and waving.

Bill Fitzgerald of St. Anns was among those taking part in the protest. He said when he heard of the potential project he immediatel­y had concern.

“It’s a sacred mountain to our Indigenous peoples,” said Fitzgerald. “It’s already a difficult stretch of roadway over Kellys Mountain for traffic at the best of times and to think this would be added to by dump trucks and more heavy vehicles would create a hazard.

“It’s protected for a reason and I think one has to have a healthy balance between economic and other considerat­ions including the fact that this is protected land.”

In 2015, Kluscap Mountain was designated as a protected area by the province under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. Bryson Syliboy of Port Hawkesbury was also in attendance for Saturday’s protest.

“I believe that we need to worry about the environmen­t and look at alternate resources for our energy consumptio­n,” said Syliboy. “We need

to protect the sacred areas and I’m here to support my brothers and sisters.

“I wasn’t too shocked about it (the idea) because mining corporatio­ns around here, that’s all they’re worried about is money and getting into resources. They don’t worry about the land before or after — Kluscap Mountain is very sacred to us and we don’t want it to be destroyed.”

Along with the protest in New Harris, supporters also gathered in front of the Mining Associatio­n of Nova Scotia office in Ingramport, N.S., on Saturday.

“The support that we’re getting is just building and I think it’s fantastic,” said Marshall.

In an email statement to the Cape Breton Post, Sean Kirby, executive director of the Mining Associatio­n of Nova Scotia,

said a practical dialogue about protecting land and protecting jobs is needed.

“Acknowledg­ing that the process of choosing protected lands was not perfect is a good place to start,” said Kirby.

He said there’s no proposal to start a quarry on the Kellys Mountain aggregate deposit, a deposit that could create 80 direct jobs for half a century if it were not protected.

“The deposit is simply an example of the significan­t economic opportunit­ies the province is giving up as a result of the protected areas plan.”

Saturday’s protest in New Harris was peaceful and there were no incidents.

 ?? JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST ?? Protesters march near Seal Island Bridge in Victoria County on Saturday as part of a rally against mining on Kluscap Mountain and other protected areas in Nova Scotia. About 40 people attended the rally, which caused traffic disruption­s for about an...
JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Protesters march near Seal Island Bridge in Victoria County on Saturday as part of a rally against mining on Kluscap Mountain and other protected areas in Nova Scotia. About 40 people attended the rally, which caused traffic disruption­s for about an...
 ??  ?? Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald
 ??  ?? Syliboy
Syliboy
 ?? JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST ?? Elizabeth Marshall, organizer of the rally against mining on Kluscap Mountain and other protected areas in the province, talks with supporters during the event on Saturday.
JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Elizabeth Marshall, organizer of the rally against mining on Kluscap Mountain and other protected areas in the province, talks with supporters during the event on Saturday.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada