July 2, 2020
Dear Premier McNeil,
I have restrained myself from writing the many letters of protest that I most likely should have been writing to you. This letter concerns what is happening to our province under your watch.
1) The terrible practise of clear cutting this provinces forest, to be made into fibre to be sold to foreign countries for the so called Bio fuel.
2) The destruction of and death of our precious wildlife and their habitat via the practise, of clear cutting
3) The fact that the people of NS had to take this province to court in order for you to adhere to the laws concerning wildlife
4) The most recent fact that the hedge rows along our road ways are being cleared by forest tree grinders at a time of year when nesting birds have not managed to get their young out of the nests
5) The fact that the people of NS had to take you to court over the Owls Head Provincial parks secret delisting and possible sale to foreign interests for establishing golf courses
6) The fact that NS does not have a bear rehabilitation policy which has resulted in the death of an otherwise healthy cub bear at the hands of the dept of environment.
7) The fact that 333,000 hectares of forest is planned for clear-cutting and being made into tree plantations which subsequently will need to be sprayed with chemicals which again is detrimental to all life forms.
8) Open pen fish farms polluting our coastline and contaminate our wild stock of fish, with disease,
Sir, I don’t understand the mindset of this province and I certainly do not and never will understand your lack of empathy towards this province and its forests, its wildlife or the health of its citizens. You, Sir, need to stand up and do what is proper and stop all work in the forests until the nesting birds have had a chance to raise their young, a quiet season for the birds in spring, that’s all that is being asked before you destroy their habitat. As far as the hedgerow clearing an immediate cease on it needs to be done it’s not going to hurt to stop it for a few more weeks to allow the birds to finish nesting and get their families out of the nests and out of harm’s way. Sir, the people are watching.
Adopt sustainable forestry practises, not this rape and run mind set of the forestry cartel. The offer of tree plantation of mono species has not worked in other countries why do you think it will work here? What and whose science are you following?. The amount of chemicals that will need to be used will be staggering; where is the economic sense in that? These chemicals have been proven to be carcinogenic. Do you not feel we have enough cancer in this province? I really think the people of NS are very concerned about what is being done, and are watching.
Bears on the most part are not a problem. You and the forest cartel are the problem, with the constant pressure of clear cutting thousands of hectares of forest a year thus removing their habitat where these creatures live and forage. The clear cuts remove their shelter and food source so they move into areas where humans live. So all bears are destroyed because You and the forest Cartel has destroyed their habitat, now you have no room, for the bears. There is a better way to do forestry than Clear Cutting. Again, Sir, the people are watching.
Owls Head Provincial Park for decades it has been referred to as Owls Head Provincial Park yet you secretly delisted that park and offered it up for sale to a rich foreigner to create golf courses. You Sir, have caused a great divide in a quiet community pitting neighbour against neighbour and dividing families with the offer off a few low paying seasonal jobs at a time where it is fully understood that golf course are no longer viable and are environmental disasters. So now you have been taken to court over that. That park belonged to the people of NS we did not offer it for sale. Sir, the people are watching.
Open pen fish farming, a disaster on the West Coast, now you Sir, want them here? Science shows they are not healthy for the environment; there are alternatives, like land based farms which do not contaminate wild stock or pollute our coast line. These offer long term good paying jobs with little impact on our environment, with healthy, disease free fish in a controlled, contained environment. Sir, are you listening. The people are watching.
Regards,
Laurinda Richard
Concerned Citizen of Nova Scotia
