The Advocate Feb 6 2019

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Northern Pulp seeks extension Mill wants more time to develop a new wastewater treatment facility By Chris Muise For The Advocate

The clock is ticking for the Boat Harbour wastewater treatment facility in Pictou Landing. The Boat Harbour Act passed in

2015 stipulates that the facility must be closed by the end of January next year. Northern Pulp, however, is seeking an extension. The company, alongside the Paper Excellence Group, held a

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press conference in Halifax on Jan. 31 — exactly one year before the deadline stipulated in the Boat Harbour Act — announcing it is seeking a change in the legislation to allow for the time needed to open a new, state-of-the-art

wastewater treatment facility. “We all have the same goal, and that is to see Boat Harbour returned to its natural state,” says Kathy Cloutier, director of Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence. “We simply

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need a bit more time to assure the time and due diligence to carry out each phase.” Before this announcement, Cloutier — alongside Paper

Kathy Cloutier, director of Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence, speaks during the Northern Pulp press conference. (Muise photo)

Continued on page 2

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The countdown celebration began with a round dance that saw three and four circles within each other around the gym.

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The beginning of the end Pictou Landing First Nation celebrates the one-year countdown to Boat Harbour closure By Heather Brimicombe heatherbrimicombe@pictouadvocate.com

Bailie Francis takes her turn at the microphone explaining why she is excited to see the Boat Harbour treatment facility close. (Brimicombe photo)

Drums, celebration, dancing and tears filled Pictou Landing First Nation on Thursday morning as the community and its supporters celebrated the oneyear mark until the Boat Harbour treatment plant will be closed. Students from the Pictou Landing First Nation Elementary School shared their thoughts about Boat Harbour during the celebration and why they are

excited to have the natural habitat return. Lots of talk about the harbour not smelling anymore and being able to fish, swim and play at the beach there were what most of the children were looking forward to. “We wish we knew a life without Boat Harbour,” said Bailie Francis, 9. “We just don’t want Boat Harbour to pollute our community.” Pictou Landing First Nation Chief Andrea Paul gave an emotionally charged speech about

her community and what it means to everyone to have the deadline for the project be so close to the end. “When they forced the effluent in our waters, that was a colonial act,” said Paul through tears. “Today and every day since then this community has worked so hard to bring (the harbour) back.” She added that when the Boat Harbour treatment facility is shut down, the area will be known as A’se’k again, the tradi-

tional Mi’kmaq name for the waterway. Paul spoke about the tremendous amount of work and love the community put into the celebration to mark the oneyear count down, including a memory wall that lined the back of the gymnasium that showed photos of community members who have died since the treatment facility opened, not because of the facility, but to bring them on the journey of healing with Continued on page 2

Paul talks Boat Harbour, Northern Pulp Timeline: Boat Harbour Treatment Facility By Heather Brimicombe heatherbrimicombe@pictouadvocate.com

Pictou Landing First Nation Chief Andrea Paul was thrilled with the support and crowd during the community’s celebration countdown marking one year until the closure of Boat Harbour. “The feeling of today was definitely one of empowerment,” said Paul. “When we are able to do events like this it is also healing.” Paul spoke afterwards about the memory wall that was on the back wall of the gym where the celebration was held. She said the idea for a memory wall came

from a committee member who wanted to honour and include the members of the community and loved ones who have passed, hoping the day would come for the treatment plant to close. “It was a way for us to bring our loved ones here with us today.” Paul noted that she grew up in a time when all she knew was pollution in Boat Harbour so the loss of the area that she has is different from that of the elders who are still living who once enjoyed the area in its natural state and have lost it. “Hearing their stories is quite painful,” she said. Although it is

difficult for Paul to hear the stories of the elders, the words of the children who spoke during the ceremony about what hopes they have for the future, were powerful. “It really puts a reminder out there that we have to keep going,” said Paul. “They’ve lost it all.” She also had some thoughts to share about the Northern Pulp environmental assessment which was passed on the same date. The company held a press conference in Halifax Thursday morning to announce it was seeking a year extension.

Why Pictou Landing First Nation cannot agree to extend the deadline for closing the Boat Harbour Treatment Facility… • 1966 – Canada, as legal owner of Pictou Landing First Nation’s reserve lands adjacent to Boat Harbour, issues Orderin-Council No. 1996-1669, transfers property rights associated with Boat Harbour to Province of Nova Scotia without proper authorization under Indian Act. Transfer has no legal effect. • 1967 — Province builds pipeline to Boat Harbour from Scott Maritimes new mill and begins “treating” effluent from the mill at Boat Harbour.

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Effluent interferes with PLFN’s Aboriginal and treaty rights. • 1991 — Province acknowledges that it has no right to interfere with waters of Boat Harbour; promises to close Boat Harbour Treatment Facility when agreement with Scott Maritimes ended on December 31, 1995. • 1992 — Province repeats promise to close the Boat Harbour Treatment Facility on December 31, 1995. • 1995 — Province decides to allow Scott Maritimes (then owner of the mill) to operate Boat Harbour Treatment Facility for 10 more years. Gives Scott

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Maritimes a lease and an indemnity agreement. • 1997 — Province promises to transfer treatment facility land at Boat Harbour to PLFN once treatment facility is closed and remediated. • 2000 — Agra Simons (engineers hired by Province and Kimberly Clark — then the new owner of the mill) identifies options for treating effluent including AST technology on site next to mill with pipeline to Pictou Road just off Lighthouse Beach. Cost estimate is $67 million. Continued on page 2

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