Save Owls Head

Environmentalists and locals rally at Law Courts to defend pristine Owls Head from turning into golf courses and resort

“Our government identified the Owls Head property as a provincial park, but unfortunately, it did not follow through on the inherent promise of that title,” said Lee. “If Owls Head Provincial Park isn’t safe then none of these provincial parks that are awaiting formal designation are safe.”

“The government has a choice. They can either do this the easy way or they can do this the hard way,” said Tynette Deveaux of the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club. 

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By Save Owls Head, ago

House of Assembly: Premier Rankin & NDP Leader Gary Burrill on Owls Head Provincial Park

Question period: THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021

GARY BURRILL: Mr. Speaker, today’s judicial review of the Premier’s action when he was the Minister of Lands and Forestry to move Owls Head from the list of parks and protected areas in preparation for a potential sale, is a judicial review that is drawing a lot of public attention. Why wouldn’t it?

Owls Head is one of 153 areas under the 2013 Our Parks and Protected Areas plan which have never officially been designated as protected, so it’s normal and natural for people to have questions and to be concerned now about the other 152.

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By Save Owls Head, ago

Bev Isaacs’s Speech: Save Owls Head Demonstration

We are here to speak for something which cannot speak for itself – Owls Head Provincial Park.

Hello everyone, I am Bev Isaacs, a resident of Little Harbour/Owls Head, thank you for supporting us in this fight. We are here to hold our government accountable for their unfair, secretive backroom deal to sell Owls Head Provincial Park to a non-resident. Their decision to delist a Provincial Park without public consultation was disrespectful to the citizens of Nova Scotia. Our government owes this to the people of Nova Scotia, to provide an environment that we all can be proud of. An environment that will be sustainable, an environment with ecosystems that will provide clean air, clean water for the next generation.

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By Save Owls Head, ago

FRANCIS CAMPBELL: Owls Head decision, a hot topic in the court of public opinion, goes before a judge

“We’re saying that the minister ought to have let the public know and consulted the public before making the decision to remove Owls Head provincial park from the parks and protected areas plan, in other words to remove its status as protected public land,” said lawyer Jamie Simpson, who is representing applicants Bob Bancroft and the Eastern Shore Forest Watch Association in court.

“It’s been represented to the public as a provincial park for over 40 years and it’s been serving that role, doing what it was set up to do, that is protecting a special part of the province and a special habitat for wildlife and certain rare plants and species at risk. 

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By Save Owls Head, ago
Cartoon by Matt Dempsey

Letter: Money grows on trees

This does not bode well for the renewed promises on the environment that came out of the Liberal leadership race. I also read Bill Black’s puffery piece on Owls Head last week, and still fear for the outcome of that nefarious scheme. If it goes ahead, the messages will be clear: “Business as usual” and “Wealth Trumps all” — pun intended. Has this pandemic failed to teach us anything about looking after this planet and the public good? 

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By Save Owls Head, ago

Letter: Against public interest

On April 1, the government of Nova Scotia will be arguing in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in favour of its secret deal to remove Owls Head from the protected areas plan and sell the 700-acre public park to a private development company. 

They are essentially fighting the public interest in favour of the American developer. It’s not a pretty picture, is it? A government forcing its citizens to fundraise and go to court to seek fairness, truth and transparency.

Ironically, the taxpayers are also paying the developer’s costs since the government has chosen to argue on his behalf. The government lawyers are paid by all the taxpaying public, not just the few who stand to profit privately from this development.

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By Save Owls Head, ago