Kyle Sacobie, St. Mary’s First Nation addresses rally with organizers (L-R) Juliette Bulmer, Terry Jones & Kristen Nicole LeBlanc. Photo: Karen Rogers, Facebook
“This is just the beginning,” said Kyle Sacobie of St. Mary’s First Nation as he spoke Tuesday to about 60 people gathered in the rain outside the New Brunswick legislature for a rally against the proposed gas/diesel plant on the Chignecto Isthmus.
“The respect that we have for the land is going to show in the respect that we have for each other,” the Wolastoqiyik Knowledge Keeper and Song Carrier added.
Sacobie suggested more Indigenous people would be getting involved to defend their Peace and Friendship Treaty rights.
“You’re going to see more discussions, you’re going to see more people show up. This is just the beginning,” he said as he held a drum covered in moose hide.
“To some it looks like an instrument, but in our teachings it talks about the relationship we had with that animal: The moose that was giving up its life, the ceremonies that I would show up for and the sound that would come, that would heal our people, that would help our people, that would celebrate our people,” he said.
Sacobie, who is a member of the Muskrat Singers, accompanied himself on the drum as he sang while Premier Holt, Environment Minister Gilles LePage, MLA Megan Mitton and Green leader David Coon looked on.
To listen to Kyle Sacobie’s song, click on the media player below:
Premier Holt addressing the rally. Photo: Annie LeBouthillier, Facebook
“I very much appreciate when people engage in an issue like this that is complicated and challenging,” Susan Holt said as she thanked the crowd for coming out to the “people’s house.”
“We also have a number of questions about this project the same as you do,” she added.
“We’re looking at the information submitted, we’re looking at the case, we’re asking questions about locations,” Holt said as she thanked a sign-carrying rally goer for raising an umbrella to shield her from the rain.
“There’s a process to be followed…there’s an environmental assessment, there’s the consideration of a comprehensive review that is happening right now to figure out, is this eligible for that process, can we put it through that kind of rigor?” Holt said.
“We need to make sure that New Brunswickers have affordable, stable power in the most sustainable way possible, the most environmentally friendly power possible, the most affordable power possible,” she added, “and we need to do it in a way that protects our beautiful New Brunswick and its environment everywhere.”
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton and Marlee Hicks
MLA Megan Mitton thanked the organizers and the rally goers for standing up against a fracked gas project.
“We are saying no to this gas and diesel plant.
“We are saying no to increasing air pollution.
“We are saying no to risking our water.
“We are saying no to harming our wildlife and their habitat.
“We are saying no to continuing to build new fossil-fuel infrastructure even though we’re in the middle of a climate crisis.
“We are saying no.”
Green leader David Coon said the gas plant could potentially add a million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere every year.
“We don’t want a planet, we don’t want a province that is going to be inhospitable for our kids and our grandkids,” he said.
“So, my friends, we need to connect more effectively in people’s minds out there, in the media’s minds, and in the elected representatives’ minds, that the forest fires we’re seeing, the drought we’re seeing, the lobster catches that are in decline out here off of New Brunswick, off of our coast, intensive storms, and weather that we’re getting, all of those things are being driven by our addiction to fossil fuels,” Coon added.
“I love this sign, ‘100% is doable,’ absolutely,” he said pointing to one of the placards in the crowd.
“In fact, it’s the least-cost way to go.”
Photo: Juliette Elida, Facebook
UNB wildlife conservation student Islay Hayward
20-year-old Islay Hayward told rallygoers that for her, the gas plant project brings up many negative feelings.
“Instead of talking to my friends about where we want to go for summer vacation or what we want to do on March break, we are instead forced to think about, do I want to have children? Is it selfish for me to bring my child into a world that I know is currently on fire,” she said.
“This is the funeral for so many wildlife species that depend on this area of New Brunswick,” she said.
“The government always says that they love people staying in New Brunswick, but when you put something on the land that is poisoning my air, poisoning myself, it doesn’t seem like they want people to truly stay…
“This is not the New Brunswick that I want to live in.”
Photo: Annie LeBouthillier, Facebook
What about UNDRIP Agreement…. hmmmm ? Good question.. my fellow white “non-native” peoples.. what about this race-based law and its ramifications on society?
.. https://www.ohchr.org/en/indigenous-peoples/un-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples .. I certainly have questions.
To those (i.e. the UNB student Islay Hayward and others) who are saying the Chignecto Isthmus is close enough to Center Ville to be affected by the construction of the power plant in Center Ville; I ask you to go to Center Ville and walk to the historic geographic location of the Chignecto Isthmus, located south of the town of Sackville, NB. While walking indicate/record how and what areas will be effected.
I believe in protecting the environment, I have a small recycling business, but I am against those posters seeking attention by using inaccurate and misleading information.
I remember, 25 years ago posters claimed the Confederation Bridge would cause major negative effects to the Northumberland Strait. The bridge is now paid for and to my knowledge there have been no major issues to the environment in the area of the bridge.
Comparing what is being said with the available facts is what is needed not public attention seeking performances .
The Chignecto Isthmus is more east of Sackville than south. Parts of the isthmus are actually north of Sackville. The map on page 3 of this document shows the position of Sackville in relation to the isthmus, and compass directions :
https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/habfund/final15/NSHCF15_02_NCC_Wildlife-connectivity-on-the-Chignecto-Isthmus.pdf
You’re confusing the Tantramar Marsh area to the Chignecto Isthmus. The Isthmus is a much larger area than just that marsh section.
It’s sad to see old people want to argue semantics in the comment section and label folks doing actual work for their community “attention seeking performative”. Quite disappointing as a young person in your community who will be around much longer to see the negative impacts this will cause. Your comments give a very “old man shakes fist at cloud” energy.