Federal water and federal Land

Honorable Catherine McKenna, the legislation you introduced, Bill C-69, which has passed the House of Commons and is currently with the Canadian Senate, contains important new measures to strengthen environmental protection and Indigenous participation.

The treatment proposal and associated environmental assessment submitted by Northern Pulp would have triggered a federal assessment under this Act, which includes a pipeline direct to federal waters to dispose of an estimated 85 million liters of effluent per day. Yet as recent as March 5, the prime minister suggested the environmental assessment was covered by provincial jurisdiction.

The ‘triggers’ that would have directed NP’s EA to be designated a federal assessment, are inclusive of health, social, economic, gender-based and long-term impacts on Indigenous peoples, when you consider the potential impacts this toxic effluent will have on the Northumberland Strait and the associated fisheries. This includes the health of the people potentially impacted, directly or indirectly, via the consumption of contaminated seafood, air emissions (specifically PM 2.5), mental health, deleterious substances, etc.

Northern Pulp’s proposal includes burying the effluent pipe 4.1 kilometers beneath the seabed, federal land. Under Section 67 of current CEAA 2012 Act, this sets the grounds for review by a federal authority in order to determine whether the carrying out of the project will cause significant adverse effects on the surrounding environment, or if any potential significant adverse effects are justifiable.

Also requesting a federal assessment are approximately 20 per cent of the Canadian Senate, the government of Prince Edward Island, a working group of 3,000 fishermen, including Pictou Landing First Nations, all the local MLAs, as well as thousands of concerned citizens, including many local physicians.

The legislation the Liberal government and you yourself introduced would have triggered an automatic federal assessment; and the current Act, also legally designates a federal assessment.

Our provincial government remains liable for damages caused by this effluent. The damages to Boat Harbour, as well as the impounded western section of the Pictou Harbour, due to the causeway, (built to encourage the mill to come here), will amount to hundreds of millions to remedy.

This proposal and associated damage it will have on the fisheries could potentially amount to billions. If Northern Pulp is so confident in its new treatment facility, they ought to assume the risk and associated cost to compensate the fishermen of three provinces, in the event the effluent does what fishermen expect it to do.

John Collins,

Loch Broom, N.S.