Voice of the People

DISCORDANT NOTE

Once again, anyone wanting to get back to playing music is left out in the cold. The new recreation guidelines have come out, and it seems that every activity known to man is allowed anywhere in Nova Scotia except for adults playing music.

There are thousands of amateur musicians who perform with all manner of bands, orchestras and ensembles, who have not been able to meet during any of the various stages of lockdown since March.

Our rehearsal venues, mostly churches, gyms and community centres, refuse to open to us, and the restrictions for playing instruments have remained draconian although all other activities have modified them.

Can Dr. Robert Strang and others please revisit this area of activity? I can't see that basketball players huffing and puffing into each other's faces is safer than 30 or 40 musicians sitting quietly and playing their instruments. Please! Will we ever be allowed to make music again?

Anne Slayden, Halifax

ALARMING PATTERN

I read with interest and, I must admit, alarm your article regarding the Owls Head proposal. Juxtaposing this development with the major concerns around the Town Point Consulting (TPC) project in Antigonish Harbour, it appears clear that a pattern is emerging.

In both instances, developers proceeded with projects harmful to the environment, without adequate prior public notification or consultation, but with the full knowledge of the Department of Lands and Forestry. In the case of (TPC), the company laid pipes in the harbour without required permits. In the case of Owls Head, Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin delisted 285 hectares of protected Crown property and then entered into very private negotiations with the Gilbert family to purchase this land with a view to building two or three 18-hole golf courses.

More egregiously, the minister has allowed TPC to apply for the necessary permits after the work had been conducted and may grant retroactive approval. As I indicated in a previous letter, this is like a minister allowing an individual, perhaps a wealthy, well-connected one, caught driving without a valid driver's licence to retroactively apply for one to mitigate any penalties.

We see the same pattern with Owls Head. The property was delisted from protected status, sold, and again, after the fact, the province will conduct the “full public review.”

It is becoming abundantly clear that Rankin has favoured the interests of wealthy private investors over the public interest he has sworn to serve. This man wants to be the leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia? We need leaders to serve the public interests and we need these projects halted.

Edward L. Pencer, Lanark

N.S. TORIES ARE TAME

Re: “Alberta model alarming” (Dec. 4 letter). Jim Morton of Kentville may not be well-informed in terms of the political landscape of this country. He is suggesting some ideological link between the United Conservative Party of Alberta and the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party.

In Nova Scotia, Tim Houston is the leader of the Progressive Conservatives (the party of Robert Stanfield, John Buchanan and John Hamm), and not the leader of the Conservatives, as suggested in this letter. The Nova Scotia Tories have their own identity and ideology, are not connected in any way to the United Conservative Party of Alberta and are not an extension of a federal Conservative party, as the Liberals are of their federal counterpart. There is no Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

I was employed as a senior civil servant and public servant for 40 years, working for 10 different premiers and administrations (6 PC, 3 Liberal and one NDP). Actually, during all these years, the most aggressive administration in cutting public services was the John Savage Liberals, under the guise of “reinventing government.”

Tim Houston is an intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, articulate and well-respected professional. He leads a party that is socially progressive and fiscally conservative, which is what this province needs after years of mismanagement and the least transparent government in our history. Bruce Maccharles, Halifax

OVERBEARING & OVERPAID

There may be a way to say this more eloquently, but our premier simply wanted to escape attacks by the opposition by proroguing the legislature and said it was necessary as the “people” wanted him to spend all his time fighting COVID-19. There are people in Nova Scotia who are experts in dealing with pandemics and he is not one of them. If he wished to show how dedicated he is in helping such people by appearing on TV, he could do that.

He is raking in more money than most of us could imagine. Actually, he is making $22,000 more a year than the premier of Ontario. When he was challenged on this, he responded, “Well, I inherited that salary.” Then he shut down the legislature, so Nova Scotians are paying our politicians for sitting on their hands while our premier is taking space that should be filled by an expert.

I know of a Halifax man who was also a recipient of a salary in a Calgary university. He knew what was offered was too high at that time. He did what any caring person would do. He refused to take the too-generous amount. His name was not Mcneil. Lorne Perry, HRM

STAND UP FOR MOOSE

On behalf of the Friends of Nature (FON), based in Chester, I'd like to congratulate The Chronicle Herald for continuing to publish relevant articles and letters concerning the future of our endangered mainland moose.

As most Nova Scotia residents are aware, the mainland moose is one of several species which are, unfortunately, on our current endangered species list. This is a situation which can be avoided if Premier Stephen Mcneil and his Minister of Lands and Forestry listen to concerned citizens who are attempting to do the government's work for them to protect the habitat the moose needs to survive.

Despite what senior staff of the Department of Lands and Forestry state — that clearcutting in moose habitat is good for moose — common sense should tell us this is not true. Small tree clumps and minimal buffers on wetlands and watercourses are woefully inadequate. Biologists have been telling government officials this for many years but still the clearcutting continues unabated. Where has the Lahey forestry report, and its recommendations for a different type of forestry for Nova Scotia, disappeared to?

On May 29, Justice Christa Brothers of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ordered the province to protect the habitat for the mainland moose and several other endangered species. To date, the province hasn't done this; instead, concerned citizens are being arrested for trying to do the work of our provincial government.

Friends of Nature respectfully asks that Premier Stephen Mcneil halt the current harvest plans for the contested area near New France, Digby County, in southwestern Nova Scotia. This is a serious environmental issue and the premier needs to “protect the blazes moose” and its core habitat for generations to come. Brad Armstrong, conservation director, FON, Chester