CCN Back Issues Vol 1 Issue 2

Just what is going on in the Nova Scotia boat building industry? Despite the continued troubles in the fishery, boat builders on Nova Scotia's South Shore are busier than they have been in years. Since the late 1980's the boat building industry was in decline but suddenly there are reports of a boom underway. Why?

The largest number of boat building and repair yards in Nova Scotia is concentrated in Shelburne County. At its peak in the mid 1980's there were as many as 44 active boat building operations in Shelburne County. In those days it seemed that there was no limit as to how big the industry would grow. New boat building businesses were popping up in peoples backyards. Hundreds of boats were being built every year and almost 200 people were employed. The industry was estimated to be worth more than $10 million to the local economy.

The boom was not to last though and by 1990 businesses were closing, employees laid off and the number of boats being dropped by sixty percent or more. These were not good days to be in the boat building business. Today there are just 13 active boat building operations left in Shelburne County. It was a decade of gloom for the industry.

According to Etheren Goreham, Secretary of the Shelburne County Boat Builders Association (SCBBA), there were a lot of reasons for the decline. The most obvious reason was the collapse of groundfish stocks. This combined with a nation wide recession in the early 1990's, market saturation and changes in government regulations relating to the allowable size of boats caused the industry to go into a tail spin.

Commenting on the decline in his industry Bruce Atkinson, a long time boat builder from Clark's Harbour on Cape Sable Island says," There was a big down turn. Ten years ago there were dozens of shops. Today there are only a few."

After a decade of hard times and no recovery in sight for the fishery you would expect boat builders to be pessimistic about their future. In fact it is just the opposite. Today you are more likely to hear boat operators talking about how busy they are and how optimistic they are about the future. What has happened?

And the rest of the boat builders in the area are also busy. So busy in fact many are booked solid with orders until December of 1996. Stanley Greenwood has been in the business for over 40 years. During that time he has built over 100 Cape Islander style fishing boats.

"I have seen a lot of changes in this business over the years," says Stanley. He has watched fibreglass take over from wood. In fact Stanley was one of the very first boat builders to build and launch a fibreglass fishing boat back in 1978. Stanley's boat shop is busier than ever these days and both his shop and yard are full of boats under construction and repair. He already has orders to last until August of 1996 and in recent days another six orders have arrived. The demand is being experienced by other builders in the area as well. So where is the demand for all this boat building coming from?

Etheren Goreham explains that there is a lot of reasons. He says; "About twenty-five percent of the orders are fishermen upgrading older boats. This is due to a change in regulations for measuring the cubic size of a boat. For example this means that a 32 foot boat can now be expanded to a 35 foot boat."

There are also other factors driving the growth in the boat building industry. Goreham goes on to explain, "A number of older wooden boats, especially from the Liverpool area eastward, are now being replaced with fibreglass."

Goreham says that tax considerations also play a part in the industry. " There are a lot of fisherman out there with no depreciation left on their boats. It makes sense for them to get a new boat so they can use the tax advantage." It is also estimated that about twenty-five percent of the recent boat building was for boats exported to New Brunswick. "There was a demand for 34 to 45 foot boats for aquaculture," says Goreham.

There is also a demand for lobster boats. One bright spot still remaining in the local fishery is lobstering and it appears that a lot of fishermen are depending on it to carry them through. Stanley Greenwood says, "We're doing mostly lobster boats. If anything happens to the lobster, we're in trouble. But right now things are okay."

Elton MacKay, a fisherman from Cape Sable Island, is one of those who has his boat at Stanley Greenwood's shop for expansion. He has spent the past 32 years fishing. He agrees that lobstering is the only thing left. "Lobstering is the last thing we've got," he says.

Elton is concerned for the future of lobstering though. "The way things are going the government is trying to get us all out of it. They want the big companies to own everything. There won't be any independent fishermen left." For now though the lobster fishery is helping to drive the demand for new and expanded boats.

Pleasure craft construction has also brought work to some boat yards. Bruce Atkinson is one of those who got heavily involved in building Cape Island style boats for the pleasure market. "If not for the pleasure boats I would not have been busy," he says. In addition to designing his own luxury craft, Bruce has served as a contractor for a U.S firm, North Sea Yachts.

Does it come as a surprise that the boat building business is doing so well during these troubled time in the fishery? Etheren Goreham says, " Not really. If you think about it, there are some good reasons for it. A lot of the orders coming from the south shore area are for replacement boats. The life span of a boat is about 14 or 15 years. For some it is time to replace the old. Goreham also thinks aquaculture in Nova Scotia will help the boat industry. " I see an influx of orders as aquaculture develops in Nova Scotia."

In the early 1980's, the last time there was a boom in the boat building business a lot of second hand boats from Nova Scotia were being sold to Newfoundland fishermen. When the fishery crisis hit Newfoundland that market for second hand boats dried up. And although it is nowhere close to what it was in the early 1980's there is some demand for second hand boats in Newfoundland again. This allows Nova Scotia fishermen to sell their old boat and but a new one.

Another reason Goreham cites for the growth in his industry is just plain old want. " Boats are like cars and trucks. Sometimes you just want a new one." With boat yards busier than they have been in a long time and orders piling up for the next year and beyond it is clear that much of the gloom that was surrounding this industry has disappeared.

The past decade had been difficult. A lot of good building operations did not survive and a lot of people lost jobs in the industry. Most are reluctant to call what is happening today a boom but they are clearly optimistic. Bruce Atkinson says, " For the shops that are left, they can keep busy. The ones that are still in it will get along fine."

Etheren Goreham says, " What we are really seeing is a stabilization of the industry. Business is steady. I suppose when you compare it to five years ago then it is a boom."

It is estimated that 119 boats will be built or expanded this year in Shelburne County yards. Today the 13 boat building businesses in Shelburne County employ 98 people on a full and part time basis. The industry will be worth $12 million to the local economy in 1995.

The Hills Are Alive With Community Projects.

In Bear River The Community Is Pulling Together To Build Some Unique Projects.

In the late 1700's sawmills and shipbuilders gave birth to the village of Bear River which is located a short distance from the Town of Digby. As you drive into the Bear River of today you cannot help but be impressed by its quaintness and beauty.

As you enter the village from the Digby side of the river, the road winds down over the sides of steep hills. It reminds you of the imaginary villages of the nursery rhymes. It is no wonder that they call Bear river the Switzerland of Nova Scotia.

Straddling the border between Digby and Annapolis Counties, Bear River is perhaps best known for its Cherry Festival. Today there are other things bringing attention to this small community. One project that has brought thousands of tourists to town is a new water waste treatment facility. It doesn't sound very interesting at first but if you quickly learn this is no ordinary sewage treatment plant.

Bear River is home to the first Solar Aquatics Wastewater Treatment Facility in Canada. Solar Aquatics technology can best be described as sewage treatment that takes place in a greenhouse. From the exterior the facility looks like an ordinary greenhouse. However inside you will find a large number of clear sided tanks and a solar pond containing a variety of ecosystems including bacteria, algae, floating pants, snails and fish that process the sewage. Instead of simply being a waste product, sewage is used as food for the biological community that lives in the greenhouse.

Opened in the Spring of 1995 this new facility helped to divert sewage that was going directly to the river. Although only a few homes are connected to the plant today it is estimated that 150 to 200 homes can eventually be hooked to the system. The Solar Aquatics Treatment facility is also unique because it was a project that was developed and supported by the community. It was a grassroots, community driven project from its inception.

It was the idea of the community resident to bring this technology to the attention of the Municipality of Annapolis County. Carol Armstrong, Plant manager at the facility says, "Developing this involved everybody. The local Board of Trade gathered the information and donated land. There was a lot of community support."

As a brochure promoting the project points out,'this project has successfully overcome the "Not In My Backyard" fears through early and consistent community consultation during all stages of planning and construction. Residents of the Village of Bear River share in the enthusiasm for a project which enhances and embraces environmentally friendly principles.'

The Nova Scotia Environmental Coalition awarded Bear River a Sustainable Community Award during the summer of 1995. Carol Armstrong says" There are a lot of towns in Nova Scotia that could utilize this technology."

The Solar Aquatics Facility isn't the only community project underway. When the Bear River branch of the Royal Bank closed it was another blow to a community that had already seen its share of decline. The closure of CFB Cornwallis and the downturn in the fishery had hurt the local economy. There was a high level of unemployment and few hopes for a turn around.

The local doctor retired and the drugstore and other businesses closed their doors. Arthur Isles, a lifelong Bear River resident comments,"Bear River was getting to be a lost soul."

Carol Armstrong reinforces this,"As it got closer to the late 1980's you could start to to see a decline," she says. But community members said 'enough is enough' when the local branch of the Royal Bank closed. A community meeting was called and it was decided that the former Royal Bank building should be taken over by the community and turned into a health clinic. The Royal Bank donated the building and a committee of citizens was chosen to oversee the project.

Today, after $30,000 of fundraising the clinic is renovated and up and running. With visiting doctors from New Minas, Digby, and Aylesford, hundreds of patients have been served by the clinic. Residents are proud to tell you that government money was not required to open the health clinic.

Arthur Isles, who is a member of the Health Clinic Committee points out,"We haven't had one cent of government money." Along with this resurgence of community spirit came the revival of the Bear River Historical Society. Started twenty years ago it had become inactive until local United Church Minister Wade Reppert helped to get it started again. Already the society has two projects underway.

During the summer of 1994 a local history museum was opened in what was once a retail craft shop. An even bigger project will see the building of a re-creation of an old fashioned hunting camp. The great chain of lakes inland from Bear River were once well known for their elaborate camps used by hunters and guides. The society plans to build a replica of one of these camps in the village. The project will celebrate local history and attract tourists.

The old elementary school is also the site of an exciting new community project. A group of local residents has taken over the old school building and are converting it into a centre for arts, music, and crafts. a craft co-op is already operating in the building.

It appears that there is a growing community spirit in Bear River. A spirit based upon cooperation and volunteerism. Carol Armstrong says,"A lot of problems still exist but there is a little start, a little glimmer of good news."

It's A Big Job, But Regional Development Authorities Are Planning For Success!

An Inside Look At Three Of Nova Scotia's Regional Development Authorities.

Nova Scotia has been divided into twelve economic zones. Regional Development Authorities (RDA's) have been set up in each of those zones to take over responsibility for planning and coordinating community economic development and encouraging business growth and job creation.

RDA's have a big job ahead of them. They are responsible for the future growth and development of communities throughout the province. The hopes of a lot of people are depending on the success of RDA's. Hopes for the survival of communities, for new jobs, for the future.

Can RDAs deliver on these kinds of hopes quickly enough? And should they be expected to deliver quick results? These are questions that are now arising as RDA's get down to work.

Community economic development is supposed to be the focus of RDAs but many people are now conceding that community economic development requires a slow step by step process. A process that will, given time, result in positive change for communities. But there is a worry that unless short term job creation results are significant RDA's will be judged a failure.

Having to balance the need for time with a demanding public and governments anxious to see results is no easy task for RDAs. Eileen Lannon Oldford, Executive Director of the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority (CBCEDA) has definite views on the ability of her community to accept the challenge of planning and developing a better future. "I don't think too many things are impossible," she said recently. One of the longest running RDA's in the province, CBCEDA, has taken a pro-active approach to getting the entire community involved in the economic development planning process.

"This is not just another process. We all have a role to play in securing the economic future of our region," says Oldford. In metropolitan Cape Breton CBCEDA has taken on the role of being a coordinator for community economic development. Specifically identifying opportunities, providing direction and determining the economic niche that will restructure the economy of Cape Breton County.

CBCEDA has clearly defined what it can do to assist community economic development. "Our role is to provide communications, strategic planning and marketing, advertising and promotion," reports Oldford. She goes on to say,"CBCEDA does not provide funding. We look for innovative ideas. We involve sectors of the economy, government, education, labour and local citizens in developing the economic base of Cape Breton." Working for twelve member board of directors and with a support staff of four, Oldford directs the affairs of CBCEDA from an office on Charlotte Street in Sydney's business district.

Her enthusiasm and spirit are the first things you will notice about her. Especially her strong belief in her community which she firmly believes can create a better future for itself. "Don't say it can't be done. What is your alternative," she said in a recent interview. CBCEDA now has a strategic plan. The plan, which was developed through a wide community consultation contains 113 specific recommendations and a five year action plan to implement them.

One of the first RDA's in Nova Scotia to complete and submit a strategic plan to the Economic Renewal Agency and receive funding to implement it was the Western Valley Development Authority (WVDA). This RDA spans a region that covers Annapolis and Digby Counties and includes seven separate municipal governments.

Alan Sloan, Executive Director of the WVDA says, "We had a quirky beginning that was spawned out of necessity because of the closure of CFB Cornwallis. It was at this time that the seven municipal governments realized that it was to their benefit to cooperate on a solution." Sloan is a strong believer in the new regional approach and is especially proud of the efforts that have been made in the Western Valley to get local citizens involved in developing a strategic plan for the area.

"I know that the knowledge exists here to find the answers to our economic development problems for ourselves. The people who have the most to gain or lose from what is in a strategic plan are the people who live here." In keeping with that philosophy, when it came time to develop a strategic plan for the Western Valley, no outside consultants or experts were hired. Instead 19 local residents from within the region did everything in house.

"The planning process started in September of 1994 and was finished by February of 1995. The pan covered 24 sectors and study areas, " says Sloan. The strategic plan surveyed and studied each sector of the local economy. It identified weaknesses and strengths. It laid out goals and objectives and gave the years in which each of the was to be accomplished. Once completed the plan received approval from five out of the seven municipal governments in the region but in the end all seven provided funding towards implementing it.

Despite the early start and the enthusiasm of many for this new regional approach, Sloan also acknowledges that there has been scepticism and says, "There is still resistance to giving up hope that the government will come in and save us." But Sloan's confidence in this new development process shows when he says, "It will be a few years before people appreciate what we do, but it will work if we are given time."

Today Sloan works from an office in Digby on behalf of a 14 member volunteer board of directors. the board is made up of 7 municipal government representatives , one from each in the area, and 7 community members who are recruited through public advertising chosen by selection committee.

The planning process is the crucial first step for all of Nova Scotia's RDA's but getting the public involved is no easy task. Sloan says,"If you want to get through to people you have to organize each sector of the local economy (fishery, forestry, tourism etc.) so it can tell itself what it needs to survive and grow. It is no good for government to tell them. The RDA should facilitate that and not direct it. We have to be willing to take a back seat." Sloan also says, "We are currently helping each industry in our region organize itself in order to implement projects. The plan will be viable if each industry demonstrates a commitment to its own future. I believe the commitment is there."

And despite the obvious desire of the Government of Nova Scotia to see total community control of the development process, Sloan concedes, "We will never be seen as a truly community agency. The fact that we are funded by government ensures that."

To date seven out of the fourteen RDA's in Nova Scotia have strategic plans completed. The rest are getting close to final completion of their plans. The focus for those who have finished their plans and are implementing them now turns to evaluating and measuring the results of how successful they are at creating positive results for their communities.

Wilf Carter, Executive Director of the Cumberland Regional Development Authority, (CREDA) is one of those who is currently working on a report card system to measure how successful his organization and his community is at achieving their goals. Carter says, "Strategic planning has been underway in Cumberland for years. We don't need a lot more planning. What we need now is to start using the information we have."

A native Nova Scotian who has recently moved back to the Amherst area after working in the Yukon, Carter just started his job with CREDA in March. He is already hard at work on a system to measure the successes and failures for CREDA.

The report card system being developed by Carter and his team will measure things like the number of new businesses started, dollars invested, projects started and completed, government policy directives influenced by the community, the number of projects supported, number of people who move to the area, number of people employed and the overall growth and expansion of the local economy.

It is acknowledged by many that it is not easy to measure the results of community economic development work but the Government of Nova Scotia is developing a report card system of its own. Chris Bryant, Executive Director for Community Economic Development for the Nova Scotia Economic Renewal Agency says, "No targets will be set from the centre here in Halifax. There is no model that says this is how you do it."

The system developed by the province is expected to be done on a quarterly basis with an evaluation annually. It appears that the Government of Nova Scotia wants to know if the money being spent of RDAs is yielding results. How much time government and the public are prepared to give RDAs and this new approach to community economic development remains to be seen.

Pilot Project Goes Job Hunting

It's Not Business As Usual At The Louisbourg TAGS Office.

A pilot project is underway in Louisbourg to help TAGS participants with their search for new jobs. The project, which officially got underway on August 8, has two main goals; to find jobs for people on TAGS and to handle the day to day problems people experience with TAGS. Those problems might include finding out what rule changes mean, replacing lost cards or just handling run of the mill inquiries. These normally require a person to travel to Sydney to the Human Resources Development office.

Juanita MacKeigan, Marie Meagher, Mary Lynn Crant, and Colleen MacPherson have been hired to staff the office which is located on Louisbourg's Main Street.

In a region of Nova Scotia where people estimate that the real unemployment rate is about 47% job hunting is not an easy task. It is the role of this new TAGS office to make the job hunt easier. The four work with 251 of the 400 TAGS clients that live in the region between Sydney and Louisbourg. Of these clients, 48 people are presently in training programs and another 73 are working. Most of those working are still employed in the fishery in one way or another reports MacKeigan.

The workers hired to work in this pilot project know first hand the frustrations and concerns of laid off fishery workers because they are TAGS participants themselves. Juanita MacKeigan says, "The good thing is that some of us working here at the office are TAGS participants. It is encouraging that TAGS people are getting these types of jobs."

Marie Meagher works as an Employment Counsellor and spends most of her time trying to match TAGS clients up with employers who have job openings. Marie maintains a list of people ready and willing to fill positions and as an extra bonus to employers there are wage subsidies available.

The staff visit employers, make phone contacts, and try to sell the skills of people registered with the office. Marie says, "The people we are dealing with are excellent workers. Most have worked steadily for years and years. Some for as many as twelve or thirty years. They have strong work qualities. They know how to work shift work, how to meet quotas, concentrate on tasks and work cooperatively with others."

The staff also work with clients to help prepare resumes and cover letters. Once prepared the resumes are packaged and sent out to employers. "During the past two weeks we have put out 79 resumes," Marie comments. Despite their enthusiasm for the work they are doing, they also acknowledge that it is not an easy task to try and find work for all that want it. "It would be great if they could all get jobs but it is not going to happen," says MacKeigan.

And to those who complain that people on TAGS don't really want to find a job Mary Lynn Crant says, "We know that there are TAGS participants out there looking for jobs every day." The staff face a lot of problems as they try to sell their clients to employers in the area. Self image is a big problem for a lot of laid off fishery workers. "Some believe that after two or three years without a regular job they can't get back to work. Some don't think they can do it," says Meagher. "Part of our job is to give them as positive self image."

A job bank computer is also available at the office and helps those looking for work to see what is available. But when it comes to training MacKeigan says, "There has to be meaningful training. If there is training it has to be selective." MacKeigan points out that in the past some people were engaged in training that didn't lead anywhere. "I'm sure we are the computer capital of the world right now." She goes on the say, "It is one thing to offer someone computer training but it is best to combine it with a specific job skill."

There is a lot of competition out there for jobs and in some cases the full time employment that is available just doesn't pay enough to support a family. Meagher says, "Full time employment is hard to secure at a decent wage. Wages are low. $5.50 per hour in a lot of cases." There appears to be a number of TAGS participants who are worried about accepting such low paying jobs because it could lead to a loss of their TAGS benefits. If the job isn't long term or doesn't work out they fear they will be left with few alternatives other than Social Assistance.

This pilot project has been set up for a six month trial run and is sponsored by the Louisbourg Heritage Society and is funded by Human Society and is funded by Human Resources Development Canada. Even if they can't find full time work for their clients the TAGS office staff try to find part time work. "We hope that it might eventually lead to full time work," says Meagher.

In the future there is a plan to start offering more group sessions for clients on subjects like job search techniques, group job searches, and job interviews. A lot of uncertainty still exists around TAGS for a lot of the people the staff deals with reports MacKeigan. "When will it end? Who do I talk to?," are common questions."

The Louisbourg TAGS office offers a great deal of resource information and helpful staff to guide people through some of the red tape. Staff want to encourage more people to utilize the office. "A lot of people are intimidated by the system. We are known here in the community," says Mary Lynn Crant. She goes on to say, "We have a good relationship with Human Resource Development staff in Sydney and can help people liaison with them."

The Idea Man Of Main-a-Dieu

How One Person Helped To Change A Community.

It was three years ago when Sandy Evans got the final word. He was out of work. After almost fifteen years working for National Sea Products on their deep sea fleet his career in the fishery was over. Sandy was one of the thousands of people in Atlantic Canada affected by the downturn in the Groundfish fishery.

Sandy, who was originally from Newfoundland, had made his home in the Cape Breton community of Main-a-Dieu. An isolated and ruggedly beautiful village of 115 families situated on the shores of the Atlantic. Today the only fishery left in this coastal community is a small lobster and crab fishery. Looking back on it now Sandy admits it was hard for him to imagine what his next step in life would be after the fishery.

That next step was to come quickly. In 1992 Sandy, who was concerned about the future of his community, came up with an idea that would change the face of Main-a-Dieu. As he tells it, "I was lying awake at night wondering what I could do. And then it just came to me out of the blue."

And what was it exactly that came to him out of the blue? An ambitious idea to build a massive board walk along the shores of Main-a-Dieu. "People thought I was crazy. But I kept asking myself, what can we do in Main-a-Dieu to make it better?" Sandy's solution involved the designing and building of thousands of metres of boardwalk over the natural habitat along the picturesque shores of Main-a-Dieu.

With an idea and a lot of ambition Sandy became the driving force in the community to see the project come to life. And it was a true community project. Even the local land owners provided easements so the boardwalks could be built over their property. With financial help form Human Resources Development Canada, who paid for the labour costs, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency who picked up the costs for supplies and materials the project was underway.

Between 1992 and1995 over two hundred people worked on the project. Almost all of the people hired to work on the project were participants in the TAGS program. Besides providing badly needed work to local residents the project became a tourist attraction in an area desperately searching for ways to boost the local economy.

Today the project is finished and in addition to the boardwalks there is a local history museum (where students work in the summer), trails, washrooms, changing rooms, and a life guard station. The positive impact of the project is already being felt. Sandy says, "It has tripled tourism in the area. We have had visitors from all over the world." He goes on to say, "It will improve every year. We are seeing a lot more tourists now than we ever did before."

There is no question that this is an impressive project and when asked his opinion of the results so far Sandy has only two words, "Very pleased." And pleased he should be as this project shows what one persons dream and a lot of hard work and the cooperation of a lot of people can achieve.

It would be impressive enough if Sandy's story ended there but with the boardwalk project completed it was time for Sandy to turn his attention to other ideas. So on July 15 of this past summer, Sandy went into business for himself. With two loans of $10,000.each, one from the Nova Scotia Economic Renewal Agency and another from Sydney Ventures, Sandy opened the only business of its kind in the area. He opened Sandy's Take Out, Craft, Souvenir and Gift Shop just across the road from the boardwalk project.

By combining the $20,000.in loans with a Self Employment Assistance program allows Sandy to keep receiving his TAGS benefits for the first year of operation of his new business. "I had to do something. I couldn't sit back and wait for TAGS to run out in 1999," says Sandy. Today he works from 9:00 am to 11:00 PM, seven days a week. He hopes that with enough community support he can keep the business open year round. "So far things are okay. I had a great summer," he says about the success of the business to date.

Sandy offers this advice to others thinking about going into business for themselves, "Make sure you have enough money to start it. Enough money to do what you need." Sandy is thankful for the help he has received so far from the Economic Renewal Agency, TAGS, and Sydney Ventures. "They were great people to deal with," he comments.

Although he never imagined where things would lead after he left the fishery, Sandy Evans had ideas and the determination to make a better future for himself and his home community of Main-a-Dieu.

"There's A New Generation Just Slippin' Away From The Cove."

Creating Fisheries Awareness Through Drama, Discussion and Song.

Imagine a night at the local community hall in your village to which you were invited to watch a humorous drama and hear local folk musicians perform their own work in recognition of the serious problems faced by the fishery.

That is exactly what hundreds of residents of small fishery dependent communities along Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy have been doing during October and November. The meetings were held in eight communities that included, Weymouth, Westport, Sandy Cove, Victoria Beach, Meteghan, Tiverton, Digby, and Parker's Cove. Each evening kicked off with a realistic and humorous 35 minute play called "From My Sons."

The play, which was presented by Basin Productions, was developed after conducting interviews with area fishermen. It centers on the conversations of two fishermen,Tom and Jacob, as they discuss what is going on with the fishery and what they are expecting in the future. The play is set on a late summer Saturday afternoon in front of fish sheds, near the village church. It features Hal Theriault as Tom and Brian Isles as Jacob. The two run into each other on their way to a wedding.

They present a humorous look at the state of the fishery and the decline of their community. "More and more the young folks are going off somewhere else," says Tom.

The conversation between these two swings back and forth from a sense of hopelessness to one of optimism but their distrust of government and its ability to solve problems is clear. "Government has got us like a fixed tomcat," says Tom. Jacob points out,"It is almost like government wants fishermen fighting against themselves." Tom displays both hopelessness and determination not to let government beat him when he says, "I'm a going down. But I'm going down fighting."

The two worry about the future of their small fishing community. "What about the young ones? What have we got to leave them? They also acknowledge that fishermen are partly to blame for their present state. "We were so busy with fishing for today, we didn't plan for the future. I was as blind as most," says Jacob.

Following the play the audience was engaged in a discussion about what they had just watched and whether or not the issues being discussed by Tom and Jacob were true. Representatives of the Coastal Communities Network were on hand to lead the discussions that usually focused on what was happening locally and what needed to be done to secure the future of the fishery. Most participants found the play very realistic and the issues dealt with true to their own experiences.

The evening also included music from Elizabeth Sheperd and her family who performed "Will The Fishing Boats Be Sailing", an original song written for these meetings.

Hal Theirault, writer of the play says, "I think the people who are sponsoring this see it as a chance to bring a little bit more awareness about what's facing us in the future in our communities. And also opening lines to positive communication. "We see it as a way of trying to present to the fishermen that if the fishery is going to be controlled by anybody other than the big multinationals and the government, they need to somehow now come out with a united front to have community co-management take place rather than a big business-government management process of the fishery."

One of the key organizers, Wade Reppert, Minister with the Three Rivers Pastoral Charge says, "We recognized that if things go the way they are, small communities will disappear. We asked what is the role of the church? What can we do?" Reppert comments, "We have discovered that one of the major obstacles to overcome is a lack of trust." He points out that not only is there a lack of trust in government but within communities it is hard to get fishermen and other groups organized. "We hope that by creating awareness communities wil follow up by getting organized and take control of their own futures," says Reppert.

Organized by the Three Rivers Pastoral Charge of Bear River, Clementsport and Weymouth, these meetings were funded by the Fundy Community Foundation, Western Valley Development Authority, Hillsburgh United Church, Maritime Conference of the United Church of Canada and the Coastal Communities Network.

Fisheries Round Table Expresses Serious Concerns With New Oceans Act

Fishermen's Groups Urge More Consultation

Participants at the fourth meeting of the Nova Scotia Round Table on the Fishery demanded that the recently proposed Oceans Act (Bill C-98) and proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act be shelved immediately.

A Statement from the Round Table to the Hon. Brian Tobin, Minister of Fisheries, was signed by representatives of fifteen fish harvester and community organizations. It urged that the legislative process be halted until a thorough process of public consultation is implemented.

The Statement also demanded that the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans come to Nova Scotia to discuss the Oceans Act before any further steps were taken.

The Bill itself has three basic parts. Firstly, it defines and declares Canada's territorial sea contiguous zone, 200 mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Secondly, it lays out a framework for management of Canada's coastal resources. Thirdly, the Act provides powers to the Minister of Fisheries to carry out parts one and two.

Representatives at the Round Table were concerned because they felt that the Act would have a serious implications for the future of the fishing industry and the survival of coastal communities. Specifically Round Table participants said that the Act, as it is written, formalizes mechanisms for privatization of the fishery into the hands of corporations. They also said that it excludes any option for fishers to elect representatives to bodies for the purpose of co-management or self-management. Fishermen also fear that the Act will allow for new access and user charges. They also say it lacks the fundamental principles to ensure that there is access to fisheries resources by inshore owner-operators and their communities.

Members of Parliament and Members of the Nova Scotia Legislature were asked to support, with their signature, the stand taken by the Round Table. According to Wayne Edgar, of the Coastal Communities Network, most of the MLA's in the province responded. Edgar says, "Most of these said that they would make the Round Tables views known to the Minister of Fisheries.' The Nova Scotia legislature also passed a resolution calling on the Government of Canada to provide Nova Scotia with the opportunity to develop appropriate, made in Nova Scotia Strategies for building a sustainable fishery.

The overall intent of this new Act according to Brian Tobin, Minister of Fisheries, is to establish a framework for oceans resource management and marine environmental protection in Canada. The Minister believes that the criticisms of the Act are not warranted and believes that the Round Table is somewhat confused in its criticism. He says,"I am aware that confusion exists with regard to the Canada Oceans Act."

Tobin stresses, "The Canada Oceans Act will not be used for fisheries management and does not deal with fisheries license and allocation issues, fisheries partnerships, quota setting or privatization, as has been suggested in the media."

Nova Scotia's Minister of Fisheries, Jim Barkhouse, expresses some concerns with the Act but for the most part is very supportive of it. He says, "We see that it provides for sustainable development of the oceans and their resources, in accordance with the United Nations Law of the Sea and specifics the responsibilities of the Minister of the Minister of Fisheries in regard to marine sciences."

Round Table participants also agreed that the first portion of the Act declaring Canada's 200 mile limit and territorial sea, in accordance with the United Nations, was a positive step. But they are deeply concerned that the other two parts of the Act defining the Minister's powers are too vague and are open to interpretation.

Issues mentioned in the Act like Integrated Management are not defined and this is raising concern about what is in store for the future management of the fishery. In response to the concerns raised by the Round table a briefing session was held at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography on December 5. That session was designed to explain to members of the Round Table and other concerned citizens from around Nova Scotia what is in the Oceans Act

Coastal Community Network (CCN) members were some of those on hand at the briefing session. According to members attending the meeting it is going to be passed despite the concerns being raised.

CCN members believe that there are some important lessons to be learned from the inadequate consultation process undertaken in relation to the Canada Oceans Act. They are cautioning the Minister of Fisheries not to make the same mistake with upcoming amendments to the Fisheries Act. Members are urging that any amendments being considered for the Fisheries Act should be developed and agreed to by fishery groups and coastal communities.

For more information on The Canada Oceans Act contact The CCN act: (902) 379-2688.

New Tax "Too Much, Too Fast" Fishermen Say.

Changes Needed To Proposed Licensing Fees.

An umbrella group representing the countries largest fishermen's organizations says the increase license fees by approximately $50 million is a new form of taxation that will push many independent fishermen out of the fishery.

"Canadian fishermen just don't have $50 million to hand over to the Finance Department and Treasury Board", says Earle McCurdy, President of the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) in Newfoundland. "This is a poorly designed, punitive tax that doesn't take into account fishermen's ability to pay."

According to Dennis Brown, vice-president of B.C.'s United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (UFAWU), this formula for new license fees could force many Pacific coast fishermen out of business. "Most B.C. fishermen have had a disastrous year. Come January 1, they'll be facing a huge hike in their fixed costs, months before the fishery even starts. It could wipe a lot of them out", he said.

The Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters (CCPFH) met with the Deputy Minister this week to suggest changes to the licensing fees. The Council says the Government's new licensing fee formula is a bureaucratically conceived tax that doesn't take into account most fishermen. The formula being proposed by the DFO is based on gross sales from specific fisheries.

Council President, Francois Poulin of the Alliance des Pecheurs Professionnels du Quebec (APPQ), explained that in many fisheries the net returns to fishermen are only a fraction of gross sales. In these fisheries the new tax would simply make it uneconomical for many owner operators to stay in the fishery.

"On the other hand you have a handful of corporations that are making windfall profits from high value fisheries like the northern shrimp and offshore scallops. The new tax won't make the slightest dent in their earnings", Poulin said. "Canadian fisheries policy is at a crossroads" Poulin added. "Either we maintain our commitment to independent, community based fishing enterprises or we go the route of corporate concentration. The independent fishermen is the backbone of the coastal economy. Put unrealistic fiscal pressures on these family businesses and you undermine the whole coastal economy", he added.

The Council members will be meeting with Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin in two weeks to press for major changes to the new fee formula. "The Minister has shown that he is open to correcting any unfairness in the fees", Poulin said. "This is too much, too fast, said McCurdy. There have to be changes to lessen the impact on fishermen if this thing is going to work."

Q: Is there still assistance available from the TAGS program to pay for my upcoming training? I am hearing different stories. Some people say the training money has been cut from the budget. Others tell me there is still funding available. Who is right?

A: Dear Confused,
Yes, there is still money available through the TAGS program to support training. However, because of the level of need for income support from the TAGS program, the amount of money available for the training has been reduced.

The objective of training is to help people get jobs outside the groundfish fisheries. To meet that objective, priority for training support will be given to participants who are under 50 years of age, who have a minimum of Grade 10 education, and who are dependent on TAGS for their income support.

Your local Canada Employment Centre can give you more information on what is available to help you, based on your own situation and circumstances.

Coastal Communities News is published bi-monthly by the Coastal Communities Network, a non-profit society registered in the province of Nova Scotia.

Coastal Communities News is made possible by the generous efforts of many volunteers, and by financial contributions from Human Resources Development Canada, and by donations and in-kind contributions from the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Culture, as well as from member groups and organizations.

We welcome all articles and submissions, from individuals and groups, with content in keeping with the role and nature of this magazine. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Except where additional credit has been given, all articles are prepared by the Editor and Editorial Board.

Our Mission Statement

The Coastal Communities Network is a volunteer association of organizations whose mission is to provide a forum to encourage dialogue, share information, and create strategies and actions that promote the survival and development of Nova Scotia's coastal and rural communities.

"A Large Voice for Small Communities"

CCN is made up of organizations rooted in Nova Scotia's coastal and rural communities, and it is the diversity of its membership that gives it strength. Your organization, and your community, can help CCN determine its direction and strengthen its voice still further. Join the Coastal Communities Network today.

— by participating in regular monthly meetings of the CCN membership. These are held in Truro (usually on the first Tuesday of each month), and allow representatives from member organizations to review what is happening in coastal communities across the province, plan actions on issues of common concern, and review progress on CCN-sponsored projects;

— by getting on our mailing list to receive regular copies of Coastal Communities News. Send us your name and address by mail or fax, or call us directly;

— by contributing written articles to Coastal Communities News, and so letting everyone know what's happening in your community;

— by taking part in CCN workshops and information sessions. Special events like this are held on topics of importance to coastal communities (for example, community economic development, co- management in the fishery, etc);

— by inquiring about CCN's resource library, which includes information, reports, and studies on topics that affect the future and sustainability of coastal communities.

CCN Coordinator:
PO Box 1613
Pictou, N.S. B0K 1H0
Phone:(902)485-4754 Fax:(902)445-7134
e-mail:coastalnet@ns.sympatico.ca

CCN Communications Office:
Phone: (902) 445-7168
Fax: (902) 445-7134
e-mail:ccnews@ns.sympatico.ca

Gloom Or Boom For Boat Builders?

After A Decade Of Decline, Boat Builders Are Expressing Optimism About The Future.

The Hills Are Alive With Community Projects.

In Bear River The Community Is Pulling Together To Build Some Unique Projects.

It's A Big Job, But Regional Development Authorities Are Planning For Success!

An Inside Look At Three Of Nova Scotia's Regional Development Authorities.

Pilot Project Goes Job Hunting

It's Not Business As Usual At The Louisbourg TAGS Office.

The Idea Man Of Main-a-Dieu

How One Person Helped To Change A Community.

"There's A New Generation Just Slippin' Away From The Cove."

Creating Fisheries Awareness Through Drama, Discussion and Song.

Fisheries Round Table Expresses Serious Concerns With New Oceans Act

Fishermen's Groups Urge More Consultation

New Tax "Too Much, Too Fast" Fishermen Say.

Changes Needed To Proposed Licensing Fees.

Coastal Communities News

Join the Coastal Communities Network

Our Mission Statement

"A Large Voice for Small Communities"

How to Become Involved
in the Coastal Communities Network

Gloom Or Boom For Boat Builders?

After A Decade Of Decline, Boat Builders Are Expressing Optimism About The Future.

The Hills Are Alive With Community Projects.

In Bear River The Community Is Pulling Together To Build Some Unique Projects.

It's A Big Job, But Regional Development Authorities Are Planning For Success!

An Inside Look At Three Of Nova Scotia's Regional Development Authorities.

Pilot Project Goes Job Hunting

It's Not Business As Usual At The Louisbourg TAGS Office.

The Idea Man Of Main-a-Dieu

How One Person Helped To Change A Community.

"There's A New Generation Just Slippin' Away From The Cove."

Creating Fisheries Awareness Through Drama, Discussion and Song.

Fisheries Round Table Expresses Serious Concerns With New Oceans Act

Fishermen's Groups Urge More Consultation

New Tax "Too Much, Too Fast" Fishermen Say.

Changes Needed To Proposed Licensing Fees.

Coastal Communities News

Join the Coastal Communities Network

Our Mission Statement

"A Large Voice for Small Communities"

How to Become Involved in the Coastal Communities Network

How to Become Involved
in the Coastal Communities Network