Annual General Big Event
Coastal Communities Network Confronts The Issues At Annual Meeting
How communities can cope with increasing pressures and become sustainable by the year 2000 was the focus of Coastal Communities Network's (CCN) second Annual General Big Event held Oct. 6 in Tatamagouche.
The day was packed with enthusiastic speakers and brainstorming sessions, which produced many ideas on the direction communities and the CCN should follow.
A common theme of the speakers was how communities can cope with a growing feeling of helplessness and volunteer burnout. And while many members voiced their frustrations with having to deal with growing burdens of community responsibility, many ideas were brought forward in a panel discussion on how to deal with these problems.
Panellist Mary DesRoches, from the Nova Scotia Women's Fishnet, said that although women are often stuck in low- paying jobs and have to carry the majority of the burden for child care, elder care and community volunteerism, they are beginning to realize that by working together, they can accomplish many things.
Wade Reppert, representing the Three Rivers Pastoral Charge, said communities must tap the imagination of residents to find ways of overcoming difficulties.
"We need to create ventures that restore small pockets of communityhood. We have to create our own place, give ourselves some independence. Some things are very small but make a huge statement about what we feel."
An example of this is the move afoot in the pastoral charge to open a credit union, to provide people with an alternative to multinational banks, as a way of investing in the community.
Reppert warns that people must be prepared to take risks for their communities.
"People are reluctant to step out of the mould of what everyone else is doing," he said. "People must speak up about what is being lost - not just jobs but also spirit."
Sam Ellsworth, co- owner of Sambro Fisheries, said his community is growing frustrated with having to "claw its way back" from the downturn in the fishery. He said although he feels the implementation of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) is inevitable, his community is still trying to run its remaining fishery in a community-managed way, and a recent vote showed people still strongly support community-based quota management.
"After 10 years of difficulty, we still have no clear definition from the government what they want, but I believe it will be privatization, and we will likely be pushed to that in one way or another," he said. "But if we're given half a chance, we'll find a way and go the distance."
Mark Butler of the Ecology Action Centre, said eco-tourism is one way of partnering with the fishing industry to bolster community economic development.
He told a story of one summer working as a deckhand for the last fisherman out of Halifax Harbour. An American tourist met them at the wharf one day and spent over an hour talking with the old captain and sketching his portrait. For that tourist, said Butler, meeting the salty fisherman was the highlight of her Atlantic Canada vacation.
"Tourism needs the fishery," he said. "It needs that 10- boat local wharf. It's very much a part of our attraction."
Highlights of the day included inspiring speeches by Thomas Kocherry, head of the million-member Fish Workers of India, and Russ Helberg, president of the west coast CCN, on what their organizations are doing to pressure governments into protecting fishermen and their interests (see accompanying article).
Members of the network held a round of applause for CCN co-chair Sister Peggy Butts, on her recent appointment to the Senate. Speakers throughout the day echoed the sentiment that Sister Butts greatly deserves this honour, and will serve Nova Scotia well in Ottawa.
Guest speaker for the day was Senator Gerald Comeau. He spoke strongly against the difficulties associated with ITQs.
"Fishing...affects people, employment, environment, sovereignty, natural resources and economy," he said. "Yet, not enough people seem to appreciate the importance and dynamics of fishing."
As a member of the Standing Committee on Fisheries, Comeau said no other topic has produced the volume of submissions or the degree of emotion associated with those submissions. Emphasizing that he was speaking on his own behalf, rather than as a member of the Senate committee or the caucus, Comeau said wide- spread introduction of ITQs will lead to rationalization of the fishery, reducing the number of fishers over time to where only a handful of large companies - those who can afford to buy up quotas - will have complete control of the fishery.
"A very legitimate concern is the potential such licenses have for serious disruption of the local economies of small fishing communities if and when (quotas) are transferred across coastal areas."
He said such transfers would prove disastrous for rural fishing communities, and spoke of the negative spin-off effects this would create within the economy of the entire province.
Comeau suggested one solution could involve restricting ITQ transfers to within narrowly-defined areas, or communities.
Comeau raised many questions that need to be answered about ITQs, such as whether such quotas should be assigned on a permanent basis, and can swimming stocks of fish actually be isolated to be labelled for ownership.
The Senate committee, in the last Parliament, initiated a study on individual quota licenses, which was interrupted by the calling of the last federal election. The inquiry proposed to assess the social, biological and economic effects of ITQs, through a satellite link with the east and west coasts of Canada, Iceland, and New Zealand.
Comeau said he would keep a close eye on the new proposed Fisheries Act, which died in the last session of Parliament, and urged communities to pull together, fishers and non-fishers alike, to make their concerns known.
"It would certainly be a force to be reckoned with and (the Department of Fisheries and Oceans) would finally have to take notice."
Guest Speakers Describe Lobby Efforts.
Members of the Coastal Communities Network had the opportunity to hear several speakers describe the struggles of fishers and communities in other parts of the world.
Thomas Kocherry, head of the Fish Workers of India, is on a Canadian tour to promote an international conference taking place this November. He described his organization's struggle to combat industrial fishing and harmful aquaculture pollution, two factors that had been leading to the annihilation of independent, traditional fishermen in India.
To call the Indian government's attention to the plight of fishers, the industry called a nation-wide general strike which put a stop to the selling of fish, resulting in widespread effects such as hotel closures. Commercial harbours were blockaded, and Kocherry himself went on a hunger strike.
The tactics were successful in pressuring the Indian government to rescind hundreds of joint venture fishing licenses, and shut down 400,000 hectares of aquaculture sites.
Kocherry said more organizations like CCN are needed worldwide to protect individual fishers in causes that face all coastal communities around the world.
Russ Helberg is just as adamant about standing up to government bureaucracy. The president of the west coast Coastal Communities Network said the organization's goal is pro-active policy formation.
"We always try to stay one step ahead of the politicians," he said.
The group is very vocal in its opposition to the de-staffing of BC's lighthouses, and has presented a comprehensive alternative to fisheries minister David Anderson.
They have also filed lawsuits against the states of Alaska and Washington and several US government officials over the treaty dispute in the salmon fishery.
Frank Cox represents the Community Fisheries Development Centres of BC. The centres work to create and support projects to help coastal communities deal with permanent reductions in the fishing industry.
He said the perception of rich fishermen is completely out of line with reality. He said only about half of the province's fish plant workers were employed this year, many earning about $3,000 for the season. The average income for a north coast gillnet fisherman was about $8,000. Many fishers didn't earn enough to pay their expenses, let alone take any money home, he said.
The Centres are actively pursuing a transition strategy which would develop projects like salmon habitat restoration and ecotourism, but are running into problems with lack of funding.
Cox emphasized that communities must be able to rise above local infighting and competing sector groups, and work together toward common goals.
AGBE Recommendations:
The conference broke off into small discussion groups to brainstorm ways communities can prepare themselves for the future. The following is a summary of those results.
- Ways must be found to keep youth interested in their communities, including them in leadership roles, and providing them with employment opportunities and encouragement to become employers.
- Communities must clearly identify their assets, including people, and infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.
- A strategy or set of achievable goals must be clearly defined, with time taken periodically to step back and assess progress; communities must have a vision.
- Government must be educated as to what communities need, and what impact government policies may have on communities.
- Training must be made available to volunteers, to help them access available resources; volunteers must be recognized for their efforts; communities have to stay positive to avoid volunteer burnout.
- Goals should reflect a global view, not looking at communities and economies in isolation but as part of a wider community.
- It was recommended CCN should lead a lobby effort against the downloading of community wharves; should strike working groups to address issues being dealt with at conference; and build up the sharing of information through the newspaper and other methods.
- Eco-tourism should be pursued as a compatible industry to accompany the fishery.
- Subsidies should be sought to make sure communities are operating on a level playing field in terms of community development; some communities don't even have adequate access to clean drinking water and proper sewage.
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Shelburne Still Basking In Hollywood Glow
Three years ago, for several months, the South Shore town of Shelburne was transformed into a 17th century settlement, where film stars like Demi Moore, Gary Oldman and Robert Duvall walked the streets. For most of the 2300 residents of this town, it was an experience they will never forget, and would love to relive.
From March to December of 1994, The Scarlet Letter Production Company literally took over the town while sets were built and the movie was filmed, largely along Dock Street on the waterfront.
Gail Burland lives in a beautiful Victorian home within a stone's throw of the harbour. During the filming of the movie, The Scarlet Letter, her home was covered by a three- sided facade, her garage was converted into a 17th century cottage, and tourists came to her home at all hours of the day and night to admire the "set" she was living in. She was also hired as an extra to play an upper class Puritan lady. But despite the complete disruption in her life, Burland says the filming of the movie was one of the best things to ever happen in Shelburne.
"Everyone asked me how could I stand it. I say easily. Everyone was so up, everyone was fascinated by it, and rightly so," she says. "Just the number of people here employed during the production made it all worthwhile." Representatives from the production company visited individually with all homeowners living within the filming area, to work out agreements for using their homes and property.
"We had to first and foremost co-operate with them, for the good of the town," Burland says.
Nancy Hart, who lives in Burland's home, says the cast and crew also rented many homes in the area to live in during filming. "They made an effort to employ local people. They only brought in technicians they needed. And they rented a number of homes. Demi Moore had two homes, one for her children and their nannies, and one for herself," she says.
The level of co-operation was tremendous, says Elizabeth Rhuland, a community development officer with the local economic development corporation. She acted as liaison between the town and the production company, protecting the town's interests. She walked through town with the producers while they noted things that would have to be done to make filming possible. She says the working relationship between the town's people and the company went "marvellously well," which helps establish Nova Scotia's reputation within the movie industry.
Local residents watched while their streets were covered with mud and straw. Overhead wires were buried, paid for in part by the province and the town. Nearby residents were asked to keep pets in the house, and not start their vehicles during peak filming times. One lady was asked to not flush her toilet at a certain time because sensitive microphones on the set could pick up the noise.
But the town responded well to these intrusions, aided by the knowledge of the benefits that would result. Rhuland says about $17 million was spent in the area during production. One local lumber mill made $500,000 providing lumber for set construction.
The local cooper - the maker of barrels - had his old shop torn down and completely rebuilt by the production company. The Heritage Hall Workshop, which employs mentally and physically challenged adults, took in roughly $35,000 doing laundry and costume and shoe repairs for the cast. An estimated 350 people were employed in carpentry, painting, and as extras. Many local skilled artisans were hired to make candles, glass, and other props used in the film.
Filming came at a time, says Mayor P.G. Comeau, when Shelburne was ready for an economic boost. Although fishing is still the number one industry, the fishery was on a downturn, the CFS Shelburne base was closing, and many government offices in town were being closed as a result of regionalization. Filming brought in droves of tourists during the summer of ‘94, boosting visitor numbers by more than 400 per cent. Today, people still come to Shelburne to see where the movie was made.
Kathy Rafuse, an instructor at Heritage Hall Workshops, says the revenues from the movie helped them through two difficult years, and like many other businesses in town, they would welcome another production to the area.
Comeau says many people who worked on the film have gone on to establish careers in the film industry, travelling to other productions in the province and elsewhere. The town is now the owner of two buildings left behind by the production. The Guild Hall is an imposing wooden structure on stilts that could be used to host dances, concerts and other town events once the interior is brought up to meet fire code standards.
The Dorothy and Gail building, formerly part of the shipyard, was refurbished and had its roof lowered by 17 feet to accommodate filming, and in the movie was used as the town meeting house, where Sunday services and witch trials were held.
Comeau, who took office as mayor only during the last month of filming in 1994, says he would have liked to see more buildings turned over to the town after filming, and built to code at the time of construction by the production company. He also says that issues such as parking and traffic flow will have to be better addressed if another production comes to town.
The mayor is actively encouraging other productions to the area. Through contacts in the industry, he has made it known that Shelburne would welcome another movie invasion. He believes his town was chosen as the site for the movie, which depicted 1670 New England, for its pristine harbour area, and willingness to co-operate. Standing on Shelburne's waterfront looking across the harbour, there are no buildings, power lines or other signs of modern life, making it easy to set the stage for a film set long ago.
He advises other municipal leaders being offered the chance to host a production in their town, to take a long-term view of the project, and negotiate for things like permanent buildings instead of ones that will be torn down after production, and make sure these structures fit in with local architecture requirements or standards.
"Always keep in mind you must be considerate of the people who live and spend their money in your town," he advises. "Don't let them be too inconvenienced, because they will still be here after the production is long gone."
Everyone in town has their favorite "star" story to tell. Claudia Atkinson of Claudia's Diner wasn't the wiser when a tall, serious looking man walked into her diner one day and introduced himself as "Bob." Not being much of a movie-watcher, Claudia didn't realize he was Robert Duvall. And when he asked if she had fresh tuna, she told him no, but that she could get some if he wanted. He returned the next day with a large piece of tuna, and asked if she would cook it for him. She agreed, but when he said he wanted the fish rare, she told him, "There's the grill, go cook it yourself," still not knowing she was speaking with a film star.
The two developed a friendship during the filming, with Duvall stopping in for tea while he read over his lines.
"I never charged him for his tea, but every day he left me a $10 tip," she says with a smile. She says business was booming during filming, but it was difficult to predict when the 40-seat diner would be busy. Sometimes the crew was fed elsewhere, and sometimes they would frequent local eateries. Claudia has fond memories of the experience, especially remembering when Duvall brought her flowers for her birthday.
Elizabeth Rhuland says one of the spin-offs she liked best about the experience was that many school students worked as extras on the film, and learned that non-traditional careers are possible.
"For our youth, it was an eye-opener. That was one of the biggest pay-backs for me, seeing the enthusiasm of young people here."
Rhuland sums up the sentiments of many Shelburne residents when she calls the film experience a dream come true. "People here loved the magic and stardust of Hollywood."
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Communities In Action
Communities Look For Ways To Save Our Lighthouses.
Is it possible that someday Nova Scotia's scenic Lighthouse Route may not have any lighthouses? Not if a large, enthusiastic group which met recently has anything to say about it. What maritime communities can do to preserve lighthouses was the focus of a major conference Sept. 11-13 in Mill River, PEI.
Members of the Regional Advisory Council Lighthouse Alternative Use (RACLAU) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) hosted the three-day BEACON (Become Excited About Community Opportunity Now) conference, which attracted interested groups from across Atlantic Canada to gather information and share their ideas on lighthouse use. This was the second in a series of conferences dealing with the fate of lighthouses, the first having been held last December in Dartmouth.
With new technology that has in some cases made traditional lighthouses obsolete, along with shrinking budgets, the Coast Guard is downgrading many lights to minor status, which means that as solar-powered stations, they will require much less infrastructure and lower maintenance costs, while still providing navigational assistance to boats.
Larry Wilson is the Director of Marine Programs of the CCG Maritimes Region, and acts in an advisory capacity with RACLAU. He says the region must slash its budget from its current level of $23.3 million to $17 million by the year 2000. The RACLAU conferences, he says, are a way of letting communities have input into the process of cutting back on lighthouse expenses, by encouraging communities to develop projects to take over the lightstations through long-term lease or outright purchase.
There is a five-year moratorium on the disposal of lighthouses, although many structures were burned down in past years when they were declared redundant by the Coast Guard. This loss prompted an outcry in communities adjacent to these lighthouses, as they are seen as an integral part of local history, culture and identity.
Communities are also concerned about the loss of navigational aids. Although large commercial vessels have satellite-based navigational equipment, small fishing boats and pleasure craft do not have this technology, and still rely on the lights for safety.
Wilson says Nova Scotia's lighthouses are in the process of being reclassified, and many will be downgraded to minor lights, with automated beacons providing a limited range of signal and requiring little maintenance. A few stations will be classified as major lights, providing a beacon of 15-20 nautical miles. Floating navigational aids are becoming more economical, utilizing solar power instead of battery packs, and long-lasting coatings and LED lights, saving thousands of dollars on maintenance.
And while many communities have already successfully taken over their local lighthouses, others are wondering what is going to happen.
Nancy MacDonald is one of 25 full-time residents on Pictou Island, located off Pictou County in the Northumberland Strait. She says residents there have heard nothing about the fate of the five functioning lightstations on the island. Residents rely heavily on the lights, especially ones at the community wharf and harbour mouth, and want to know what will happen if their tiny population - which already operates the volunteer fire department and many other responsibilities - can't afford to maintain the lights.
MacDonald says that when local residents first heard about a year ago that the Coast Guard was phasing out the lights, extensive maintenance was carried out by the CCG. But she says that work could be done much more efficiently by local residents who could do the work for a fraction of that cost.
Jim Legge lives near the oldest operating lighthouse in North America, at Sambro. While that light can't be developed because it is located on an island, another lighthouse nearby at Chebucto Head attracts 5,000 visitors a year but generates no revenue for the community. Legge says people in the area would like to develop the site as an attraction, but are suffering from burnout after working on many other community projects.
Legge is frustrated because a recommendation he made at the first RACLAU conference, that lighthouses should be declared historic sites and maintained by Heritage Canada, didn't even make it onto the list of recommendations at the second conference. He doesn't believe the community should have to pay to restore lighthouses.
"Here is a community that has bought and paid for that lighthouse how many times over in taxes, and now they're expected to pay for it again."
Despite problems with funding and resources, several groups at the PEI conference described their success stories. Highlights included:
- The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Interpretive Centre in Port Bickerton, Guysborough County, where the 400 residents of that community rallied to restore their lighthouse and develop an interpretative centre on the site. The community held dinners, pantry sales and ticket sales to raise money for the restoration, and volunteered their time and efforts toward the project;
- The lighthouse project at Cape Forchu, Yarmouth County is operated by the Friends of the Yarmouth Light Society. The group restored the buildings, and improved and beautified the grounds with new signage, a gift shop and canteen - proceeds from which help fund the project. No admission is charged at the site, and the society took in $17,000 in nine months this year through a donation box.
A panel discussion was held during the conference to deal with funding issues, with representatives from provincial departments, Human Resource Development Canada, and the Canadian Tourism Commission. Chris Bryant representing Nova Scotia's Economic Development and Tourism department, says various forms of funding for these types of projects are available, providing the community contributes to the development, and that the project is a self- sustaining one. Projects must always ensure public access to the lighthouse is maintained.
As a result of the last conference, the CCG created a proposal for the Treasury Board seeking authority to sell or lease lighthouse properties. That proposal is before the federal fisheries minister, and will take another three to four months to go to the Treasury Board. The CCG is also dealing with how to place a value on properties it will sell or lease. Prices set too high will prevent most communities from being able to develop the site.
One highlight of the conference was guest speaker Jean-Marie Calbet of France, Chairman of the International Advisory Panel on the Preservation of Historical Lighthouses. He presented a slide show highlighting lighthouse preservation projects from around the world. His pet project is the Cardouan light off the coast of France. This is a structure built in 1584 and features elaborate stone carvings, an oak-panelled royal suite and a marble chapel. Millions of dollars have been spent on the restoration of this lighthouse.
During a wrap-up session at the end of the conference, recommendations included:
- The formulation of a lighthouse preservation act;
- A third conference should be held in 1998 to further share ideas;
- An umbrella group should be formed to help groups in the Atlantic provinces work together, especially on things like marketing and tourism;
- A how-to guide should be compiled for groups wanting to develop a proposal for taking over their lighthouse.
More information on options available to communities interested in restoring their lighthouse can be obtained by calling the Coast Guard at (902)426-9022, or RACLAU members.
West Coast CCN Opposes Lighthouse Cuts
Coastal Communities Network's sister organization in British Columbia has presented a report to the Coast Guard, providing a cost-effective alternative to de-staffing that province's lighthouses.
Of BC's 54 major lightstations, 27 are currently staffed, and there is huge opposition to any further de-staffing. A recent opinion poll showed 80 per cent public support for maintaining lightkeepers at the stations, despite the cost.
On the west coast, lightkeepers participate in search and rescue operations, are trained in and offer first aid, give regular weather and sea condition reports, and in some cases, provide tourist information.
Mariners there say they don't trust automated equipment in their lighthouses, and want lightkeepers declared an essential service for marine and aviation safety.
The report, called Our Lives, Our Lightkeepers, offers alternatives to help the Coast Guard cut costs while maintaining the present level of service at lightstations. Recommendations include cutting back on administrative costs at the CCG headquarters in Ottawa and regional offices, seeking funding from other sectors which utilize lighthouses, such as the departments of parks, environment, and transport, the RCMP and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; and imposing user fees or adding a fraction of a cent to the tax on marine and aviation fuel.
User groups have shown a willingness to pay some form of user fees to maintain lightkeepers. The Coast Guard could explore a small fee added to licenses and registration for commercial fishing vessels, registered pleasure craft, and sport and commercial personal fishing licenses.
The Pacific CCN has asked federal fisheries minister David Anderson for a public commitment to maintain lightkeepers, halt the automation of lightstations, and set up consultation groups to design fee structures and look at expanding the role of lightkeepers on a site-by- site basis.
CCN Executive Director Eric Tamm has asked the east coast CCN for its support in this issue.
Some Facts:
- BC has the world's largest fleet of sea planes, over 800, plus 550 helicopters,
- About 720 towboats haul some 600 barges up and down the coast yearly,
- More than 4,500 commercial fishing boats work off the coast,
- Over 300,000 pleasure craft use BC waters yearly,
- 106,000 people participate in kayaking,
- Cruise ships and ferries make thousands of trips through the Inside Passage yearly.
Regional Advisory Council On Lighthouse Alternative Use (RACLAU)
Nova Scotia Representatives:
- Chairperson Pam Harrison, Guysborough Co. Regional Development
Authority Box 49 Guysborough NS B0H 1N0 Tel (wk) 533-3731 (home) 251-2549
Fax 533-2064
- Dan Conlin Maritime Museum of the Atlantic 1675 Lr. Water
St., Halifax NS B3J 1S3 Tel 492-9939 Fax 424-0612
- David Curry Pt. Bickerton and Area Planning Assn., Box 153
40 Old Road Hill Sherbrooke NS B0J 3C0 Tel 522-2510 Fax 522-2568
- Bill Fairbanks PO Box 103 Amherst NS B0H 3Y6 Tel (home)667-9969
(wk)667-7579 Fax 667-0644
- Dr. Tony Locke Environment Canada 45 Alderney Dr. Dartmouth
NS B2Y 2N6 Tel (wk) 426-6052 Fax 426-4457
- Lynn Perry South Shore Tourism Assn. Box 149 Mahone Bay NS
B0J 2E0 Tel 436-4311 Fax 624-9734
- Gertrude Sweeney Friends of the Yarmouth Light Society Box
6560 RR#3 Yarmouth NS B5A 4A7 Tel 742-5724 Fax 742-3574
- Gary Tompkins General Delivery, Margaree NS B0E 1Y0 Tel 235-2879
- John Paul Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations PO Box
36 Amherst NS B4Y 3Y7 Tel 667-4007 Fax 667-7057
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Family Concerns - Community Solutions
Round Table Working To Improve Province's Day Care System.
Nearly 70 per cent of mothers with preschool- aged children are in
the workforce in Nova Scotia. This makes the issue of providing quality,
affordable day care of great interest to many families. A group of
concerned day care operators, parents and educators is currently touring
the province actively seeking public input on the issue.
The Nova Scotia Round Table on Day Care (NSRT) has just
published a booklet on the state of day care in the province, and
is holding public meetings around the province to find out what
people would like to see happen in the industry in the future.
Margie Vigneault, Round Table member, says the booklet,
entitled A Tall Order: Meeting Nova Scotia's Day Care Needs, presents
an overview of child care issues in the province.
It lists some startling statistics, such as the fact that only
10 per cent of preschool children with working parents are in licensed
day care, leaving 90 per cent in often unstable, patchwork child
care arrangements; many women, especially single mothers, cannot
earn enough money to afford day care, as is the case for many two-income
families; and as of 1993, 22 per cent of Nova Scotia children were
living in poverty.
The booklet lists the principles and hallmarks of quality child
care, and what the province, communities, and parents can do to
help ensure all families can access quality care for their children.
The NSRT is now travelling around the province seeking input from
people, to be used in a continuing process of making recommendations
to the Department of Community Services on ways of improving child
care quality and availability.
The Round Table was established in 1990, says chairperson Eileen
MacNeil, as a ministerial committee mandated by the Minister
of Community Services as an avenue for the minister and his staff
to liaise with the child care community. The group reports regularly
to the minister and consults with local, national and international
day care organizations, government departments, the private sector
and the community at large on issues concerning day care. NSRT members
are selected by the Department of Community Services following an
advertising process.
"Whatever regulations will be adopted will affect the state of
day care for years to come," says Vigneault. "That's why we have
extensive public input and consultation."
The booklet is one of several projects ongoing by the Round Table.
Also published this fall was a one-page guide for parents called
Check It Out, listing things parents should look for, and avoid,
when choosing child care. The booklet and guide are to be widely
distributed at child care and staff training facilities, and as
part of a travelling mall display. As well, the publicity committee
of the Round Table will be promoting the booklet and continue to
draw attention to the need for quality child care.
The department has also asked for a guide for regulations governing
child care education courses. A sub-committee of the round table
is working with the department on this, having already met with
day care operators and educators to determine what regulations would
be appropriate. Vigneault says the goal is to have training facilities
accredited, "to be able to say a program is meeting provincial standards,"
she says.
Vigneault, who is the administrator at a non-profit day care centre
in Halifax, describes the overall state of day care in Nova Scotia
as precarious. "It's fragile, vulnerable, stretched to the limit,"
she says.
The booklet urges the province to continue supporting affordable
child care for all income groups. There are currently 2,300 subsidized
child care spaces in the province, which means the province contributes
to the cost of those spaces for lower income families. Those spaces
are 96 per cent filled, and there is an average waiting period of
10 months for a subsidized space.
According to figures obtained by the Round Table, there is a need
for an estimated 4,000 more subsidized spaces, which means that
at least 4,000 Nova Scotia kids are not getting the child care they
need, or their parents are not available to take jobs or training,
many forced to remain on social assistance.
"This is a problem the provincial government cannot overcome alone,"
says MacNeil. "Partnerships need to be formed to address and overcome
these issues. We have to find new ways to meet the needs of today.
We can't always rely just on government, we have to be creative,"
she says.
Catherine MacDonald is the mother of a five-year- old son,
and a full-time law student at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
She is also a member of the NSRT. She says she feels very fortunate
to have secured a subsidized day care spot for her son that accommodates
his school needs and her university demands. She was able to find
a place for her son for lunch and after school care at a day care
on campus.
"As a parent, I was getting pretty stressed out trying to make
arrangements to meet both his needs and mine, and in a subsidized
space," she says. She advises parents to be flexible in order to
allow the system to work for them. While the spot she was able to
get for her son is not near their home, she was able to register
him at a school near her campus so she can easily drop him off and
pick him up, and he can walk between the school and the day care
centre. And although she had to go on several waiting lists for
a spot for her son, she didn't have to wait long to get in.
"Quality day care is expensive, but it is worth it," MacDonald
says. "I think it is very valuable that the Round Table is consulting
with parents on the future of day care."
The round table started its road show in Sydney this fall, and
will hold meetings Nov. 17 in Truro at the Institute for Early Childhood
Education, and Dec. 3 in Dartmouth at Creighton Community Centre,
with both sessions starting at 7 pm. More information on the Round
Table can be obtained by calling Eileen MacNeil at 794- 4825.
Women's CED Project
Women Counting Themselves In On Community Economic Development.
Women across the province are actively seeking ways to become more
involved in community economic development (CED), thanks to the first
phase of a project recently completed called Counting Women In.
Sponsored by Women for Economic Equality, through funding from
the Status of Women Canada, the NS Department of Economic Development
and Tourism, ACOA, Human Resources Development Canada, and in-kind
support from the NS Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the
project involved inviting women to participate in kitchen table
meetings, focus groups and workshops held around the province since
last April.
The women were provided with information on CED and asked to identify
the things that were holding them back or preventing them from participating
in community economic development.
Doreen Parsons is the provincial coordinator of
Counting Women In. She says she was overwhelmed by the level of
participation, and was impressed with the responses that came from
the local meetings. Across the province 1540 women participated
in 172 kitchen meetings, focus groups and workshops. From the information
collected at those meetings, a report was compiled and will be out
in October, along with a brochure summarizing factors women had
identified as preventing them from becoming involved in CED, and
solutions offered to help the situation.
One of the first barriers to overcome, says Parsons, is letting
women know what community economic development is. One downside
was that funding was supposed to cover a 16 month project, but in
the end it was cut to half that time, which meant less time to build
up publicity about the meetings.
"It does take time to build trust and awareness about what you're
trying to accomplish. CED for many people is an unknown, or they
are uncomfortable with it. Some women may have been reticent to
participate because they think it is just about business," explains
Parsons.
At the beginning of the project, a booklet was produced explaining
Counting Women In and its goals, and 3,000 copies were distributed
around the province to promote understanding of the project.
The factors identified during the meetings covered a broad range
of issues. One widely agreed-upon problem was lack of access to
information and resources offered by the government for CED projects,
information such as accessing funding, and what Regional Development
Authorities can do. Women said that a network for financial and
technical support was necessary, along with adequate skills development
and training, so women can achieve the goals they set.
Social issues such as adequate and affordable child care and elder
care were identified as major factors preventing many women from
participating in projects, along with transportation, especially
for rural women. Parsons points out that both child care and transportation
were provided for women attending those meetings.
Women said they would like better access to funding and credit,
newsletters and other communications tools to find out what other
women are doing, and partnerships with community agencies, RDA's,
and government departments. Women want to see unpaid work valued,
recognizing their contributions to the home and community and their
volunteer efforts.
Parsons says many women hold three jobs - working outside the
home, raising their family, and volunteer work in the community.
With the government downloading many responsibilities on volunteers
within communities, she says, much of that burden falls to women.
Parsons says the province should fund more of the work currently
being done by volunteers, as job creation and a way of encouraging
more people to become involved.
Services for youth were identified as a priority, finding ways
of involving young people in CED projects. Counting Women In made
a concerted effort to involve young women in the project. Some of
those women complained of the soaring cost of education today. At
one meeting, says Parsons, three young women in attendance had a
combined student aid debt of $100,000.
Other factors involved literacy upgrading, empowerment issues,
and cultural barriers facing many minority women. Sheila Lewis
attended two meetings in Yarmouth. She was attracted to the projected
"because I was interested in what women do, and can do, and should
do, and aren't allowed to do."
She was surprised at the cross section of women in her group,
representing various economic, educational and ethnic backgrounds.
Lewis says despite the diversity, many ideas were in common. She
says women have to realize they are capable of becoming involved
and taking charge. "Many people don't realize their life skills
do actually prepare them for outside work."
Lewis, who has a pottery studio in Yarmouth, says she feels the
meetings were worthwhile, and she is definitely interested in carrying
on with the Counting Women In project. "I learned that community
development isn't just about money. The ideas that came forward
about what community development is and how women can participate
were incredible. The best thing about it was meeting so many people
I hadn't met before. Their spirit was incredible."
Parsons says she is waiting for word on further funding to develop
a long- term strategy and continue the work done in Phase One. She
hopes that Counting Women In coordinators more meetings this fall,
more workshops, and setting women up in CED projects. She is optimistic
funding will come through to continue the momentum started by the
meetings already held.
More information on the Counting Women In project can be obtained
by calling the provincial coordinator at 1-800-565-8662.
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Coastal Communities Network At Work
CCN Takes Community Concerns To Politicians.
The Coastal Communities Network (CCN) is gaining support in
its efforts to have the province develop a policy on sustaining rural
communities. On Sept. 23, CCN Co- ordinator Ishbel Munro and
St. F.X. University field worker John Kearney met with the
caucus in Halifax. The CCN representatives were invited to the meeting
after Munro had sent copies of the network's community-based co- management
draft guide and other information on CCN projects.
Munro outlined the network's main areas of focus. She said 56
per cent of Atlantic Canada's economy is based on the resources
of fishing, forestry and mining, which are mainly concentrated in
rural areas. There needs to be a way to ensure the survival of rural
communities in the future. "In 50 years, Nova Scotia will still
have this economy based on resources," said Munro.
About 60 per cent of Nova Scotia's population lives in communities
with population under 5,000, but the focus of the government is
towards regionalization, and not supporting small communities with
infrastructure like schools and hospitals. When these services aren't
available in rural areas, said Munro, many people feel they are
being forced to move to urban areas.
Community-based co- management is one way communities can try
to take charge of their own futures. Munro explained that it can
pave the way for many of the things the government wants to achieve,
for example, in terms of economic management, without many of the
negatives. "Fishermen would together decide how best to work the
fishery. This is best for the community, the ecosystem, and the
fishery," explained Kearney.
He also explained the danger facing the province's fishery in
light of impending privatization of fish quotas through Individual
Transferable Quotas (ITQ's). With 20 per cent of the fleet now working
with privatized quota under ITQ's, that represents 50 to 60 per
cent of the resource, because the fishers using ITQ's are the larger
mid- and off-shore fleets which have large catch capacity.
The smaller boats of the inshore fleet represent 80 per cent of
the boats but only 40 to 50 per cent of the resource. Kearney warned
it may already be too late to turn the fishery around, and keep
the resource out of the hands of a few powerful industry players.
Munroe told the caucus how the CCN has been doing what it can
to help communities and organizations prepare to fight for their
future - holding workshops on dealing with the media and how to
hold effective meetings as well as through communication of ideas
among coastal communities.
The CCN representatives were invited to the caucus meeting after
Munroe had sent copies of the network's community-based co-management
draft guide and other information on CCN projects. Although the
same information was sent to all provincial parties, only the PC
caucus responded with an invitation for a meeting.
Network members are currently meeting with MPs and MLAs across
the province to gain support on issues like lighthouse preservation,
community- based co-management, and rural community sustainability.
Communications Secretariat News
More On The New Fax-On-Demand System
In the last edition of Coastal Communities News, we told you about
the new Fax-on-Demand system. We expect that it will be ready for
you to use by January 1998. We have already started to work with it
and we know a couple of things that will make our current users happy:
- The Fax-on-Demand phone number will stay the same - 1-800-691-6623
(outside of Halifax) and 481-2409 (Halifax). No new number
to learn, just pick up the phone and call;
- Most of the document codes will stay the same. There will
be no need for you to get a new catalogue until you want to - just
make the call and request the documents as you have always done;
- It should be even easier for you to request documents. We have
changed the voice prompt to give you better instructions and to help
guide you through the call;
Until then, use the Fax-on-Demand system as you have always done
(or give it a try for the first time!) And expect even better service
in 1998.
Getting In Touch With the Issues
Fishermen and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are benefiting
from a new project of the Communications Secretariat. The secretariat
has begun to hold monthly conference calls with fishermen's organizations
in Scotia-Fundy to find out what the issues are, raise questions,
and share information. These calls are one way for fishermen, through
their organizations, to have their voices heard.
The Communications Secretariat has known for some time that fishermen
often feel they cannot get their message across to DFO. Moreover,
DFO often has a problem finding out what the real issues are. These
conference calls are a step to creating better dialogue and more
open communication.
Fishermen who have participated in the calls have appreciated
the opportunity to be heard. "This can only serve to increase awareness
of the important issues of fishermen as they arise," says Gord MacDonald
of the Area 30 Fishermen's Association. "It is sometimes hard to
know where to begin when you face the mountain of issues that are
involved in the fishery. This phone conferencing is a valuable start
to tackling that mountain."
Along with DFO, the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Departments
of Fisheries and Aquaculture have also expressed interest in the
project.
Look for the reports of these calls on the Communications Secretariat's
Fax-on-Demand system.
- The Communications Secretariat-
A Project Of Fishermen's Organizations And DFO
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They Finally Got It Right -
Sister Peggy Can Make A Difference!
CCN's co-chair Sister Peggy Butts has been making a difference
in Nova Scotia for many years. Now she has an opportunity to continue
her work in the nation's capital among some of the most influential
people in the country.
Sister Peggy was appointed to the Senate September 23, one of
five new Senators appointed by Prime Minister Jean Chretien to fill
vacancies in the upper chamber. She says the appointment came as
a surprise to her, but she is looking at it as an opportunity to
perhaps have a stronger voice in the issues to which she has dedicated
her life.
"If it will give me a chance to do more for the people I'm concerned
about, then it's worth it," she said in an interview just prior
to leaving for Ottawa Sept. 29. "Most of it will be committee work
on things for the oppressed women and poor children."
Sister Peggy plans to be active on the social affairs committee
and be in a position to suggest policy on the issues she has championed
for many years. She has sent hundreds of briefs to Ottawa on social
issues over the years. "This is a new twist on what I've been doing
all along. Now I can say in person what I've been writing for years."
She will continue her work on promoting community-based co- management
of the fisheries, having recently completed the second draft of
CCN's co-management plan. "I can talk from experience and grassroots,
not just from the air," she commented. "I'll search out the Governor
General if I can about the days when they had community quotas,"
she laughs.
The Sydney resident doesn't plan to give up her work in Nova Scotia,
with organizations such as the Transition House for battered women,
the Seton Foundation for poor people, the St. Vincent du Paul Society,
and many others. "I don't want to join another level that will take
me out of that. I want to keep my contact with the people who really
matter to me."
She plans to continue her work on social justice as much as possible,
and says some things may be easier because now she will have secretarial
and research support. "I don't want to be just Ottawa. I want to
still be doing for the people what I can, just from another place."
At 73, Sister Peggy can look back on a successful high school
teaching career, 25 years as a political science professor at St.
Francis Xavier University, endless hours working with committees
and groups to help people in need, and an active role in the CCN.
And since senators must retire at 75, Sister Peggy has two years
to influence Ottawa's way of thinking.
"If I can't do something in those two years, I probably can't
do it in 30," she says.
AS for her work with the CCN, aside from being ever vigilant to
promote community issues among her Ottawa colleagues, Sister Peggy
says she will attend network meetings whenever she is in the province.
"If I can't chair, I can sure cheer," she says.
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Fishermen Fight Back
Reaction Swift Against DFO Observer Suggestion.
Inshore fishers in Nova Scotia reacted forcefully when the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) indicated recently that inshore
fishermen may have to pay to have observers on their boats.
Arthur Bull represents about 250 fishermen with the Fundy
Fixed Gear Council. He says it makes no sense for the DFO to
try to place observers on board small boats to guard against mis-reporting
catches or dumping low grade fish.
"We have had no indication there is a problem in that area," he
says. And while on-board observers may be a useful enforcement tool
on large offshore vessels, Bull says many of the small boats only
make a couple of hundred dollars a trip in some cases, and the $230
charge for an observer would severely cut into their earnings. It
would cost the FFGC $60,000 a year to cover that cost for its members.
Some fishers have likened having an observer on a 20 ft. boat
to having a Department of Transport observer riding in the cab of
every 18-wheeler on the highway. Bull says he's in favour of fishery
observers and enforcement practices, but making fishermen pay for
observers on a small inshore handlining boat could push many fishers,
who are barely making a living, over the edge.
The idea was suggested by the DFO in mid- September during a Fixed
Gear Advisory meeting. Immediately, fisher organizations began calling
their MPs and contacting the media to voice their objection. But
DFO spokesman Greg Peacock says the idea of observers is only one
of several options being discussed, and such a policy would never
be imposed on fishermen without consultation.
"We're perfectly open to look at a variety of options that may
be proposed by the industry," he says. "If you don't put it on the
table and you don't talk about it, how will we know what industry
thinks?" The proposal called for having an observer on every tenth
trip a fisherman would make.
Peacock says observer coverage is a useful tool for enforcement,
but an expensive one in some cases. "We won't use it just because
we have the tool. It might not be the best option."
Bull says small inshore fishers have no incentive or reason to
dump catches. "They have to bring in what they catch. They can't
run around after expensive fish." As well, if fishers were dumping
catches, they could simply alter their practices while the observer
is on board.
Bull says he feels optimistic that DFO is not going to thrust
this on fishermen at this time, in light of the profuse uproar portrayed
in the media. As well, he says, DFO is under Treasury Board guidelines
that say an impact study must be carried out before any new fee-for-service
program is started.
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Coastal Communities News
Acknowledgements
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.
Join the Coastal Communities Network
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.
How to Become Involved
in the Coastal Communities Network
CCN's strength lies in its membership, which is made up of organizations
rooted in Nova Scotia's coastal communities. The range of member organizations
is very broad, including churches, fish harvester groups, municipalities,
community and regional economic development agencies, unions, universities,
and local community groups. CCN welcomes the participation of any
organization that represents the interests of a coastal community
or issue and is interested in working together with similar groups
across the province. Your organization can become involved in a number
of ways:
— 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.
You may contact us at:
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