Native protestors pondering Point Pleasant Park occupation
Posted May 25, 2010 01:56:49 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park might be the scene of an occupation this summer as part of a protest over conditions on a Nova Scotia native reserve.
Pictou Landing residents say 40 years’ worth of pollution pumped from the Abercrombie Point pulp mill into Boat Harbour is making them ill.
“There’s never been a health assessment done or an environmental impact,” says Brenda Francis with the reserve. “They’ve been, I’d say, tripling production because the mist just in the fog and the stench has been heavier.”
Francis says kids playing at the beach have developed skin lesions and some people have been diagnosed with Cancer.
They’ve called on the Dexter government to order a clean up, but so far it’s been silent.
Francis says they may occupy Point Pleasant Park in protest.
“We have to have our children in some kind of safe environment,” she says.
Transportation Minister Bill Estabrooks says he’s aware of their concerns and calls the situation 40 years of neglect. He says its a long standing issue that needs to be addressed. However he wouldn’t say if the government had anything planned.
