by Helga Guderley, Healthy Bays Network member
Premier Houston is using the existential threats of US tariffs and possible changes to federal transfer payments to completely change his government’s agenda. Suddenly he is pushing for a re-evaluation of Nova Scotia’s extractive industry regulations, including long-standing bans on uranium mining and fracking. "Everything is up for discussion," he says. “Let’s take the ‘no’ out of Nova Scotia.”
Many of us feel betrayed. Mr. Houston's recent election campaign focused on affordability and health care, not on natural resource extraction. Had he run on this agenda, the election might have had quite a different outcome. Besides, having a legislative majority doesn’t give him the moral authority to completely switch agendas. That bait & switch is an egregious misuse of power.
It’s good he wants Nova Scotia to be more self-sufficient, but there are lots of ways to achieve that other than opening the province up to intensive resource extraction, particularly in light of our dismal record in that particular area. Gold mining, for example, may have been intensive, but provincial revenues have been miniscule, and we’re left with a massive clean-ups bill. Low stumpage rates for forestry have allowed multinationals like Paper Excellence (currently under investigation by parliament) to make massive profits. Houston calls bans on uranium mining and fracking “lazy public policy,” but he totally ignores the exhaustive public consultations and discussions, supported by his and previous governments by the way, which triggered the bans in the first place.
In the Healthy Bays Network’s arena, the expansion of open-net salmon feedlots, the government is setting up a red tape-cutting “Coastal Classification System.” They recently released an online survey proposing a set of criteria, like high and low temperatures, proximity to salmon rivers, to wetlands and conservation lands. However, crucial criteria like flushing rates, projected thermal profiles, estimated carrying capacity, oxygenation levels, social license and proximity of crucial infrastructure are all glaringly absent. HBN is trying to work with them to refine this system, but it is a Sysiphean task, trying to convince a government bent on development and eager to simplistically just take the “no” out of Nova Scotia.
Mr. Houston’s rhetoric is dangerously divisive. Now that Trudeau is gone, he needs a new opponent. He can’t run against Trump and apparently won’t oppose the Federal Conservatives. So, his new enemy has become special interest groups. His recent Speech from the Throne mentioned “special interest groups” at least 6 times. They have captured too many parts of our economy, he says, and have an outsized voice in policy creation. “This will end,” he vows. “Giving groups vetoes that impoverish our fellow Nova Scotians will no longer be tolerated.” Scary. “We must not let special interests polarize our province.” Doesn’t sound like a Throne Speech does it?
Who are these so-called special interest groups, Mr. Houston? Most Nova Scotians might think they would be powerful lobby groups for big industries, like oil and gas, or mining, or open-net pen aquaculture. These groups have deep pockets financed by huge industries wishing to influence government. But for Mr. Houston, special interest groups are instead citizens like you and me concerned about climate change, biodiversity and protection of our coasts, wetlands and forests. There are hundreds of such citizens groups and communities spread throughout Nova Scotia, financed not by multi-billion dollar bank accounts but by tiny individual donations, small grants and lifetimes of dedicated volunteer work. They are pushing for measures to protect our environment, not simply to increase corporate revenues. Their work is altruistic. And, they certainly do not have a veto over public policy!
Mr. Houston estimates that these special interest groups account for 2% of the population but take up 98% of airtime. However, polling systematically shows that the majority of Nova Scotians want to protect our environment, far more than 2%. Targeting these dedicated Nova Scotians is both counterproductive and ominously divisive. Mr. Houston’s rhetoric clearly shows that he believes the wealthiest 1% should be allowed to dictate how the remaining 99% will live.
I believe we must come together to face the many challenges (climate change, rising sea levels, increased wildfire risk, biodiversity loss) threatening our planet and our lives. We need to work together to protect the natural world that sustains us for the good of our children and grandchildren. Netukulimk. We need to avoid mistakes of the past during which our provincial government gave major subsidies to international corporations, but in the end provided only vanishing benefits for Nova Scotians. If we’re going to keep a “no” in Nova Scotia, that’s the one to keep. Let’s rise up, shoulder to shoulder, and clearly say to Mr. Houston, once and for all, with one loud and clear voice, “We say ‘no!’”
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