February 21, 2020
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of standing with other Nova Scotians who are opposed to your secret delisting of Owls Head Provincial Park from protected status to be destroyed by development.
Let me start by saying this. This has NOTHING to do with your favorite buzz words of “economic development.”
This is EVERYTHING to do with public trust. You have broken faith with Nova Scotians who have put their trust in you fully expecting that land that has been designated as worthy of protection is protected.
Last time I wrote to you, I received a song and dance reply about how you’re protecting 13% of lands in Nova Scotia. Well, when you consider that nothing is really protected (as you’ve proven with this deal), then you are protecting NO LANDS in Nova Scotia.
You can’t have it both ways by patting yourselves on the back that you’re doing a great job protecting 13% of our lands and then hauling them off the protected list any time you feel like it.
The NDP will introduce legislation to [keep] all our protected lands protected until there’s a public consultation to remove them from protection. These lands were put on the protected list through public consultation and only public consultation should be able to remove them.
I urge you to back this legislation.
In the interim, Owl’s Head IS NOT FOR SALE! You may be legally able to do this underhanded secret backroom deal, but you have a MORAL OBLIGATION to the citizens of Nova Scotia not to STEAL PUBLIC LANDS and sell them – for ANY purpose WITHOUT public consultation BEFORE THE SALE IS EVEN CONSIDERED.
This is NOT about Economic Development! There is a myriad of lands you’ve already destroyed with clear-cutting that could be sold for economic development. Don’t destroy a piece of ecologically rare coastal ecosystem. You will not WIN in the end.
Rest assured that the press release by Mr. Gilbert and your stated intent to double down on this sale has only further galvanized those of us who are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop you from destroying the pristine, ecologically irreplaceable lands in Little Harbour, Nova Scotia, known for decades as Owls Head Provincial Park.
Linda Symonds
Linda’s letter has been republished here with permission.
