Digby Neck residents fighting Whites Point Quarry get some international support

People fighting plans for Whites Point Quarry inDigbyNeck, N.S., got some international support this week.

Author and journalist NoahRichlerwelcomed Anne-MarieMineur, a DutchMember of theEuropean Parliament (MEP), along witha member of the Council of Canadians, intohis part-time home inDigbyNeck.Community members were also there for the information session.

"We're concerned about the effect this might have across the country on communities, as I say, wanting to seal their own fates," Richler told CBC's Information Morning.

Canadian sovereignty

He saidthe decade-long debate is bigger than environmental concerns, or whetherthe project would havecreated as many jobs as it promised.

It's about Canadian sovereignty,he said.

Richleris concerned governmentmight give in to pressure fromBilcon.

"The legal chill that works at the level of the individual in courts where basically lawsuits are slapped on to intimidate you or I from doing what we think is right occurs also at the governmental level,"Richlersaid.

"If mining companies are able to lean on Canada and know they can do so fairly freely, then we're in trouble."

Ten years ago, local residents came together to stop the American company.

Canada rejected the deal, but aNAFTAtribunal found it did so wrongly. Now,Bilconis seeking $101million in damages against the Canadian government. The federal government isappealingtheNAFTAdecision.

"Essentially a supranational body has decided against the decision that we've come up with inCanada, to protect our land and our values,"

'Savvy folk on the Neck'

Richlersaid around 2002Bilconmade an application for a quarry that was around 3.9 hectares atWhites Point. However, people noticed that the company application was also for a marine terminal.

"Savvy folk on the Neck figured out that 3.9 hectares wasn't enough to feed very large vesselsleaving the Bay ofFundy and that obviously plans were much larger,"Richlersaid.

It turned out that number was closer to around 120 hectares, Richler said.

A joint review on the project heard from proponents and witnesses, but also residents, fishermenand interested operators alongDigbyNeck,Richlersaid.

That review decided against the project, based on the potential environmental, economic and socialeffects.

A new generation

A decision on the federal government's appeal should come in the fall,Richlersaid.

He hopes the environment and trade ministersand Prime Minister JustinTrudeauare paying attention.

Bilcon, or anyother quarry company, could still make an application for a quarry as things standnow.

"We might have to go through this whole process again,"Richlersaid. "But there are a whole newgeneration of folk who are ready."