To the editor,
Thank you for your recent article, 'Foundation sees light on the horizon for Hector.'
I was really sorry that Faus Johnson is taking a quick exit from his position as president of the Hector Foundation, especially at this crucial point when he is needed at the helm. Is his job as CEO of the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce that busy? Does he know who is looking to purchase the Hector and are some chamber members?
Could they interfere with his paying job at the chamber? Will he be able to speak on this crucial issue, saving the Hector? Our chamber was silent on the sale of our regional airport in Trenton due to the future owners, so let's hope this does not happen again. Personally speaking as a founding father of the chamber I was very disappointed at that time.
Your article also says we are waiting for the town and buyers to complete the transaction and once it is complete the town, foundation and everyone can come together on the common goals.
Just what the hell is happening? It sure looks like Pictou councillors have made up their minds and are calling a meeting to sell the Hector with no input from anyone, just to get around the legal matters and get on with running the town. How many of the councillors are in favour of selling out to speculators. let's see your hands on this one.
Can you imagine this even happening with the millions of dollars already spent and the Hector promotion being one of the best in Canada?
Where is the experienced member for Pictou West, Charles Parker, who is on the side of government with two other NDP members, including a cabinet minister? Why has he not delivered on this issue? He could have included the Hector as part of the Nova Scotia museum system as was done with the Museum of Industry in Stellarton.
Where is our Minister of Defence, the most capable Peter MacKay, on this issue, as he and his father Elmer have delivered millions to this most worthy Hector project?
This selling of the Hector must be stopped immediately and legal action implemented to stop the sale. The town appears to be calling a meeting to make it legal to sell the Hector. The speculators know well what it is worth and what they can do with it.
I love the location of the Hector and like to think it belongs to the taxpayers of Canada and not to a bunch of speculators. I certainly don't think the citizens want it sold but at times funny things do happen and citizens can revolt on paying extra unnecessary taxes.
Well we the people of New Glasgow would love to have it on our waterfront and I see great potential.
I can see us getting the Ship Hector up the East River and dismantling the quay as it is of post and beam construction. We certainly could run it and prosper with volunteers and fully trained summer college students giving tours. No, we would never steal the ship, but I don't think the citizens would allow it to be sold before allowing a good try in running the ship.
I will be voting NO at the meeting to sell the Hector and I will be getting legal advice to stop the sale. Maybe a class action against the town is possible, but I am not a legal fellow. There are lots of good lawyers in Pictou County who could help if they saw fit.
This action would have never been allowed if the PC government was in power here provincially with the likes of former premier John Buchanan and Don McInnes and Jack MacIsaac as elected officials. The problem would have been solved before it became an emergency. Maybe like New Glasgow we should have hired a consultant and called for public meetings.
Lloyd P. MacKay
New Glasgow
