Dear Honourable Premier Stephen McNeil, l’Honourable Ministre de Peches et oceans M. Dominique Leblanc, Honourable Mayor Jim Ryan, Honourable Councillors Dan Currie, Malcolm Houser, Nadine Leblanc, Eric Daley:
Several questions as a Canadian-born citizen with respect to Northern Pulp Mill’s intention to install a waste pipe of pulp from Northern Pulp into our Pictou town waters merging into Northumberland Strait and the Atlantic Ocean!
Since Northern Pulp are to the best of my knowledge “foreign investors,” while I appreciate their investment, I am wondering if they really comprehend the long-term damage of toxic waste to our marine life and fishing industry here in Atlantic Canada?
What effects will be done long term with 5-year, 10-year, 15-year, 20-year studies of toxicity to our Pictou town waters, Northumberland Strait/Atlantic Ocean waters with destruction of marine life, our Atlantic fishing industry and also our important and very necessary tourism industry, for both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island?
Is the pipe taking pulp waste from Northern Pulp really the most viable solution to eliminating their toxic effluent? Why not construct a large plastic tarp edifice on Northern Pulp property to efficiently have the pulp waste disintegrate naturally into the soil on Northern Pulp’s property without any long-term damage to our marine life and fishing industry?
Short-term financial gain and an easy solution of pulp waste into our town of Pictou/Northumberland Strait/Atlantic Ocean waters is an important issue to consider very wisely and carefully for all the life that would be affected depends on decisions by the Nova Scotia Liberal government and future government of Nova Scotia. They have a responsibility to future generations!
Thank you all, may our creator provide us with a wise carefully engineered, viable solution to marine life, the important work of Atlantic Canada’s fishing industry as well as our important Nova Scotia tourism industry!
Victoria Ellen Courtemanche-Oliver
Pictou