Press Release For posting

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 11:11:25 -0500
To: Paul Falvo <pfalvo@chebucto.ns.ca>, sccanada@istar.ca, <sccanada@istar.ca>
From: Sierra Club of Canada <sierra@web.net>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEBRUARY 10, 2000

FISHERS UNITE, JOIN OTHER GROUPS TO PRESENT PETITION
  AGAINST PETROLEUM EXPLORATION TO HOUSE OF COMMONS

A petition asking parliament to direct the Government of Canada to 
revoke NS98-2 Parcel 1, a 600,000 acre permit off the western coast 
of Cape Breton and to stop petroleum exploration leases being issued 
until spawning, nursery and other sensitive area are identified 
first, is being  tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday February 
10. The first thousand signatures of the several thousand signature 
petition is being tabled by MP Peter Stoffer who is the NDP Fisheries 
Critic followed  by an 11:00AM  Joint Press Conference in the press 
gallery of  the  House of Commons with Elizabeth May of the Sierra 
Club of Canada.

The petition also asks parliament to review current legislation 
relating to the Canada/Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board(CNSOPB) 
and the National Energy Board and to investigate the powers and 
undemocratic actions of these two unelected federal agencies.

"The NS98-2 Parcel 1 petroleum lease crosses vital migratory routes 
for southern Gulf groundfish, pelagic and salmon stocks and covers 
sensitive lobster and herring spawning areas," says May, executive 
director of the Sierra Club of Canada  

"It is in a fragile ecosystem abundant with whales and dolphins with
winter ice cover and waters as shallow as 60 feet in places. There are
over 10,000 registered commercial fishers in the Southern gulf and approx.
20,000 people employed including plant workers and other spin off
industries.  This shoreline Cabot Trail permit should never have been
approved and the Southern Gulf should not be open for petroleum
exploration " she said. 

Percy Hayne, president of the Gulf NS Fleet Planning Board says the 
federal government's insensitivity towards the pressures on the east 
coast fishery knows no limits.  "With the recent Supreme Court 
Marshall decision, native and non-native fishers  are working hard to 
peacefully and successfully implement the Marshall decision. Our 
federal government should at the very least, support our efforts to 
implement the Marshall decision, rather than making matters worse by 
allowing petroleum permits in our spawning grounds", he said.

"The petroleum board's process is fundamentally flawed and has 
compromised their ability to function as a neutral regulatory 
authority which is why we want them investigated. If they would 
identify sensitive areas first that are off limits to the petroleum 
industry, they would save the taxpayers a great deal of money by 
avoiding costly review panels. " said Mary Gorman, a member of Save 
Our Seas/Shores Coalition which is collecting the signatures.

Kerry Prosper of Afton Band said "Mi'kmaq, Maliseet and Passamaquoddy 
chiefs want this exploration stopped. We have waited for centuries to 
be finally given legal access to the east coast fishery. Now we are 
seriously questioning what quality of fishery we are being given 
access to. If the petroleum industry is allowed to take over our 
seabeds, what will be left for future generations?" he said.

-30-

For further information contact:

  Ottawa:
Peter Stoffer  (613)995-5822
Elizabeth May (613)241-4611


Nova Scotia:
Percy Hayne: (902)926-2229
Kerry Prosper: (902)386-2897
Mary Gorman: (902)926-2128
Ian MacDonald: (902)787-2531



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The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes
mailing list (sust-mar).  http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar
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Sponsors: Chebucto Community Net   	http://www.chebucto.ns.ca 
Sierra Club - Chebucto Group		http://www.sierraclub.ca
Volunteer listowner: Paul Falvo   	sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca

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