February 26, 2020
The Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Late Debate (Adjournment Debate)
Gary Burrill, Leader of the NDP
Resolution for Late Debate, as submitted by Gary Burrill:
Therefore be it resolved that the government could have done a much-improved job in its handling of the question of the Owls Head Provincial Park.
(more…)Gary Burrill: I would like to ask the Premier about the Crown lands in Owls Head and Little Harbour. In March of last year, the government passed a confidential minute letter by means of which Owls Head Provincial Park was removed from the list of pending protected areas. Then in December, a couple of months ago, thanks only to the investigative work of a diligent journalist this fact came to public light. Last month, in January, the government quietly removed the park from the online map of protected areas. I want to ask the Premier if he would share his reasoning as to why his government did not consult, did not engage, did not even inform the public at any point along this process?
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On February 26, 2020, Gary Burrill, leader of the NDP of Nova Scotia, introduced a bill to strengthen the Provincial Parks Act, the Special Places Protection Act, and the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. This bill aims to clarify the protections that the aforementioned acts afford to wilderness areas that are awaiting final designation as Parks or Park Reserves. If passed, the act would prevent the removal of lands without public notice or consultation. This Act may be cited as the Owls Head Act.
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We Nova Scotians are losing access to our shores, as land the public has enjoyed for generations is sold to the highest bidder. Each time the provincial government sells the public’s coastal lands, it is also selling a crucial aspect of life in Nova Scotia.
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Re: Your Feb. 21 front-page news story on protesters rallying to save Owls Head park. It is good to see this important issue of our government’s secret delisting and removal of Owls Head Provincial Park from Nova Scotia’s Parks and Protected Areas Plan receive the coverage it deserves. However, ironically, this is undermined by an inaccurate account of the number of participants at the rally. I attended and would estimate, based on that experience and counting people in post-event photos, that the crowd was easily twice the size than what was reported.
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The Coast
Mira Dietz Chiasson
February 21, 2020
A determined group of Nova Scotians gathered yesterday at Grand Parade Square to protest the sale of Owls Head, a planned provincial park that was recently de-listed by the provincial government. Despite cold temperatures, approximately 120 people were in attendance, wearing hats and mittens, chanting “Stop the sale, save Owls Head.”
“Development would be welcome. But none of it should come at the expense of a rare ecosystem”
–Pam Baker
Bruce Frisko
CTV News at 6
February 21, 2020
HALIFAX — Even as an American developer appears to be re-thinking a proposal to build a high-end golf resort on Crown land in Nova Scotia, protesters went ahead with a planned demonstration outside the legislature, while the Liberal government defended the idea inside.
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Francis Campbell
The Chronicle Herald
February 20, 2020
Click to watch The Chronicle Herald’s video of the protest and Chris Trider speaking.
A push to save Owls Head provincial park from being developed into high-end golf courses arrived at the back door of Province House during the opening of the legislature on Thursday afternoon.
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