CCN Back Issues Vol 6 Issue 1

On Sept. 17, 1999, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down its Marshall Decision, upholding the fishing rights of Mi'Kmaq people. Tensions mounted in some communities as fear and uncertainty took hold and Natives and non-Natives both wondered how the Decision would affect future livelihoods.

Arthur Bull, Chair of the Coastal Communities Network (CCN) , remembers what he calls "a defining moment" in Nova Scotia's history, when, on October 22, 1999, just five weeks after the Court's decision, 1,000 non-Native fishermen gave a standing ovation to Acadia Band Chief Deborah Robinson as she outlined an agreement reached between her band and local non-Native harvesters. The significance of this moment lay in the fact that the agreement was reached, not through government representatives, lawyers, and corporate leaders, but rather through direct negotiation and open discussion between elected leaders of non-Native and Mi'Kmaq communities.

This defining moment helped underscore two important truths in the governance of sustainable communities: first, that the people who live and work in a community are those best suited to make decisions regarding that community and its resources; and second, that all members of the community must be equally involved in the decision-making process.

Given these truths, Heritage Canada approached CCN about a project to begin a process of facilitating open, face-to-face dialogue among the province's cultural communities. Nova Scotia is rich in cultural heritage, with its four principal communities – Blacks, Natives, Acadians, and other Europeans. But for too long, there has been little communication among them, and indeed, they have often worked against one other. However, the people of these communities are beginning to realize they have more in common with one another than they ever knew, and that by sharing hopes, concerns, and ideas, all stand to benefit.

With funding from both Heritage Canada and the Canadian Rural Partnership , CCN launched a series of events, called "On Common Ground," aimed at drawing together three key elements of all our cultures: our relationship with nature, our relationship with one another, and our relationship with the Spirit. These three strands of community life are beginning to intertwine as the peoples of rural Nova Scotia more and more find themselves on common ground.

Since its inception in 1992, CCN has been promoting community-based management (CBM) . This way of stewarding natural resources is essential to ensuring long-term sustainability of our resources and the communities dependent on them. CBM allows resource harvesters and communities to take primary stewardship over adjacent resources through a democratic decision-making process. It is based on an ecosystem approach, recognizing the interaction among species, natural habitat, and the human population.

CCN decided to host a series of forums to discuss CBM, to explore ways our cultures and rural communities can come together to work towards the goal of widespread CBM of our resources. Three forums on CBM were held over the course of the winter of 1999-2000. One of the key principles of all the gatherings was that the people present would themselves set the agenda. To the surprise of many, the first forum quickly became an emotional and powerful discussion of the effects on the members of the various cultural groups of exclusion from natural resources. Issues of racism were openly discussed: people needed, before discussing the resources around them, to speak of the racism surrounding them. Mi'Kmaq spoke of how their concept of unity with the natural world had been ignored in the scramble of others to exploit resources for economic gain. Acadians spoke of being scolded as children for not speaking "proper" English. Blacks spoke of the feeling generated when they had to go to a back room, out of the way of white eyes, to get a haircut. And white fishermen talked of being stereotyped as being greedy, ignorant, and illiterate people who only cared about getting their nets around a school of fish before someone else did.

Participants in that first CBM forum agreed that in order to work together toward common goals we must first acknowledge that racist attitudes still exist in our society, and that others should be brought around the table for the ensuing forums.

At the second and third forums, people focussed on ways of translating the idea of CBM into reality. At the second gathering, it was decided that presentations would be made at the third event by people who currently work under a CBM system, that sharing information on how to set up and effectively run a CBM project is essential for other communities hoping to do the same.

One speaker at the final CBM forum noted that the Mi'Kmaq have always used traditional resource management practices, and that these traditions could be shared with non-Natives across the province. A speaker from the Acadian community told of a successful venture by local woodlot owners to compensate for a decline in demand from the local pulp mill. A member of the Black community spoke of the struggle for Black survival, saying the Black community has historically seen the assets of the community as belonging to all community members. All hope to leave their resources in a healthy state so their children, and their children's children, can also earn a livelihood in harmony with the resources around them.

At the end of the three forums, it was agreed that a new grass-roots coalition should be established to provide a united voice for the CBM movement. More gatherings will be held toward this goal.

Digby and Annapolis Counties have a rich mix of Nova Scotia's four prevalent cultures, and so CCN chose this area for a series of events to bring together members of all four cultural communities. But, because such cross-cultural events had never taken place before, there was some hesitation and skepticism on the part of some. So, it took time, and much discussion, but eventually all four communities agreed to participate in cross-cultural meetings. Although there was some degree of trepidation, many saw this as an exciting opportunity to look outside their own community and learn for the first time about neighbouring cultures.

Two representatives from each of the Mi'Kmaq, Black, Acadian, and other European communities met to plan how to proceed. This would be an historic first for the area, because it would create the possibility for face-to-face, personal dialogue among cultures. The idea was put forward of having a dinner, in the hope that sharing food around a table would help foster an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship.

The First Nations Reserve at Bear River held the first event in March, when 43 participants were welcomed by the Chief and a Band Councillor. The simple act of attending an event on the Reserve was a major milestone for some participants because, though they had lived in the area all their lives, they had thought they weren't permitted on First Nations land. Open and emotional discussion dominated the afternoon of that first dinner. Each took a turn sharing stories of difficulties they had experienced over the years, talking frankly about living with prejudice and injustice. Eventually, all agreed that, while it was important to acknowledge the past, the time had come to move forward together. The idea of each of the other three communities hosting events similar to the Bear River gathering, where they would showcase their own traditions and culture, was agreed to. They were quickly dubbed "Dialogue Dinners."

The tone of the next three Dialogue Dinners was more down-to-business, with discussions focussing on problems shared by all four cultures. The idea that people of different cultures could work together to talk of common problems and goals began to make a lot of sense.

A key theme each of the four Dialogue Dinners was a desire to keep the process going. Talks are underway to plan future cultural events. As one participant put it, expressing the satisfaction and hopes of other diners, "I'm 47, but in these meetings, I've learned more about my neighbours than I ever knew before in my life."

Given the increasing realization that cultural prejudices are barriers to communities working together towards common goals, CCN was delighted when approached by the Sacred Mountain Society to hold an intense workshop on Mi'Kmaq culture. And with the Marshall Decision so central in the minds of many, the logical place to hold it was on the Mi'Kmaq First Nations Territory at Eskasoni, Nova Scotia's largest Mi'Kmaq community.

Each of the almost twenty participants in the cultural weekend this past May agreed that the experience was a spiritual one that gave them a better understanding of Mi'Kmaq culture, and that the process should continue through future events where non-Natives could learn more about Mi'Kmaq culture. It is through this kind of learning that communities will be able to work together. The foundation of respect and understanding among cultures is essential to the success of future efforts to work together.

One sentiment repeated by people who took part in these events was that they must continue, that the project hasn't concluded. Rather, it is only the opening phase of a new level of communication among Nova Scotia's diverse cultural communities. At a wrap-up meeting, it was agreed that, although the first, very tentative, steps have been taken towards healing old wounds and changing old habits of thinking, we have a long road ahead before the barriers of racism and prejudice are eliminated

Only through mutual respect can we carry on towards the ideals of true community-based management of our resources and a society free of racism. Respect must come in three strands: respect for one another, respect for nature, and respect for the Creator or Spirit. Think of a braided rope – each strand is strong, but when three strands are entwined, the braid is unbreakable.

Even before all these events were complete, plans were underway for future events. A steering committee has been set up to help communities organize their own community-based management projects. Another Mi'Kmaq weekend workshop is in the works. Cross-cultural family events are being planned in the Digby-Annapolis area.

CCN will continue to encourage face-to-face dialogue among cultures and communities across the province. After all, it doesn't matter what your ancestry is – if the resources upon which your community relies are threatened, you need to be able to work with your neighbours to protect them.

Heather Teal is a freelance writer and the previous Editor of this magazine. CCN gratefully acknowledges the help of all who helped make these events a success. We thank the Multiculturalism Program, Department of Canadian Heritage and the Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) for their tremendous support. We also thank the Rural Secretariat for its support of our efforts, and our two organizational partners, the St. Francis Xavier University Centre for Community-Based Management in Antigonish and the Sacred Mountain Society.

Casting Lifelines: A Work in Progress

Shelburne County Women's FishNet Casting Lifelines: A Work in Progress By now, we're all too familiar with the story of the early-'90s downturn in the fishery and its terrible impact on our coastal communities. Shelburne County was among those areas of Nova Scotia that were hit hardest. And, though the economic toll of the downturn was devastating, it also had many other consequences.

Consider the changes brought about in the lives of fishing families. Husbands accustomed to being on the water most every day now found themselves ashore with time on their hands and little to do but worry about the bills and doubt their own worth as providers. Wives who normally worked shifts at fish plants and helped with household budgets now worried about shoes for the kids and putting enough food on the table. The strains were many, and a surprising portion of them fell upon the women of Shelburne County.

"In 1995, at the height of the downturn, women in Shelburne County decided they needed to get together and talk among themselves," says long-time Lockeport resident Lillian Benham. The Nova Scotia Women's FishNet held workshops in Lockeport, Shelburne, and Little Harbour to discuss family and other issues. Out of those gatherings grew the Shelburne County Women's FishNet (SCWF) "Our main mission," says Lillian, "is to create and maintain a network of groups of women helping women helping women."

Phyllis Wolfe and Pam Decker organized those early workshops. "We conducted a survey of the County," says Pam, "and discovered that women knew there were serious strains in many families, as well as substance abuse and abuse of women and children." "But," adds Phyllis, "at the time, the RCMP claimed there was no increase in abuse. The survey indicated otherwise. There was, it seemed, an 'old school' mentality among many in Shelburne County, one that says a woman needs a man behind her if she wants to amount to anything. I'm not sure why this old-fashioned gender distinction has been so deeply ingrained here."

"I think," offers Lillian, "that this mentality is a hang-over from earlier days. At least until recently, when people got together here, the ladies typically gathered in the living room, while the men gravitated to the kitchen. But I've always found myself in the kitchen, arguing with the men."

Lillian is also active in the Ragged Islands Historical Society. "Before it was named Lockeport," she says, "this area was called Ragged Islands, and in the middle of the nineteenth century there was more fish landed here, and more boats built, than in either Lunenburg or Shelburne. The West Indies salt fish trade was also a big thing here. In fact, if you'd gone into many homes in the area back then, you'd have found more old mahogany in homes around Lockeport than elsewhere in the province. That's because, on their return sailing from the West Indies, the ships often carried mahogany lumber as ballast, along with their trade goods, molasses, and rum."

"No community in Nova Scotia has a richer or more tragic history than Lockeport," claims Lillian. Indeed, Lockeport – settled by Welsh, Scottish, Irish, French, German, Swiss and Icelandic families – has suffered many marine disasters. One of the most devastating happened in March of 1961 when three Lockeport longliners went down in a vicious storm, robbing the community of seventeen men and leaving 65 children fatherless. The Historical Society, in partnership with the Crescent Beach Centre, has arranged with Lockeport-born artist Laurie Swim to have a memorial quilt in memory of this terrible loss unveiled during the South Shore Festival of the Arts this September.

Phyllis Wolfe is one of several women who volunteer their time at the SCWF office at 6 Beech Street in Lockeport. "Not too many years ago," she says, "there were three active fish plants in town, and 280 people, mostly women, worked in them. And then, in a very short space of time, there were none. Women really needed a place to get together and share their ideas and experiences. This place has been a lifeline for many women."

The fisheries downturn has cost Lockeport dearly, with its population falling from nearly 1,200 fifteen years ago to somewhere between 700 and 800 today. Pam Decker, who runs a bed and breakfast in town and also puts in volunteer time with the SCWF, was also involved in a 1998 project that surveyed County women to identify how the downturn in the fishery has affected their health. (See "Shelburne FishNet Addresses Women's Health Issues" in the September/October, 1999 issue of this magazine.) Pam and Phyllis see little prospect of any re-growth in population, at least in the foreseeable future. "The local school teaches entrepreneurship, information technology, and computer skills – skills that could allow young people to stay here," says Pam. "But," adds Phyllis, "there's still this idea in the community that 'you can't do it here, Kiddo!' That, along with the male domination of the culture here, makes it especially hard on the young women and teens."

For the past few years, the SCWF has been working to turn the tide in Lockeport and Shelburne County, to give women a sense of self-empowerment. Through a partnership with Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), it operates a Public Services Centre out of the Beech Street office. It also works in partnership with the Women for Economic Equality Society and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to help integrate women into the local economy, build community capacity, and promote community-based economic development.

"People can drop in to the Centre," says Lillian, who volunteers there, "and check the Job Bank, use the internet, or just have a cup of coffee and chat." The same office is also home to the Lockeport and Area Women's Friendship Group, another project of HRDC and the SCWF, along with the Community Health Promotion Project of the Western Regional Health Board. Here, women in the community can gather informally to talk to one another, and to learn about health, literacy, employment, and other issues of concern to women. Workshops are offered on resumé-writing, job-hunting skills, and other needs identified by the women. The Centre currently provides links to other resources in these fields, and also offers pre-natal classes, a satellite library, literacy tutoring, a book exchange, and a children's play group. The people here are also involved with a community kitchen project.

Lockeport isn't the only Shelburne County community where the SCWF is having an impact. In Wood's Harbour, in the western end of the County, a Women's Resource Centre, until recently located in Geri Nickerson's home, has moved into the old Odd Fellows' Hall. It offers similar services to those provided in Lockeport. "At one time," says Geri, Coordinator at the new location, "silent movies were shown here on Saturday afternoons and adult dances were held at night. At one time, there was even roller skating here, but it's been years since there's been an Odd Fellows' charter here, though there are still active groups in Yarmouth and on Cape Sable Island. Here in Wood's Harbour, the Hall was being neglected and little used. It was owned by the Rebekahs, sort of the women's equivalent of the Odd Fellows, and they were only using it for small monthly meetings and the occasional wedding or other reception."

Early this year, members of the Samuel Wood Historical Society (named after one of the very first European settlers in the area), approached the Rebekahs to see whether there might be ways the community at large might get more use from the Hall. The Rebekahs agreed to deed the building to the Historical Society, and this spring and summer people in the community have been sprucing up the Hall quite impressively. Of course, much more remains to be done, but the ground floor now houses a large historical museum containing many artifacts indicative of past life in Wood's Harbour. There's a gift shop, where local artists can market their products without any retail mark-up in prices. There's also a tourism information centre, a small genealogy resource centre, an outlet of the Western Counties Regional Library, as well as the Women's Resource Centre and a "Bring a Book, Get a Book" service, where people can leave a book and then take another of their choosing. Other programs address women's social and economic issues.

The Rebekahs still meet amid sumptuous Edwardian decor on the second floor. (The Hall was built between 1902 and 1906, and it shows !) The third floor is currently vacant, but there are hopes that necessary repairs can be made to allow visitors to climb up to an observation tower that offers a splendid view over the surrounding hills, coastline, and sea.

"In just a few short months," says Geri, "we've managed to make this into a community-focussed Hall. Our ultimate goal is to engage the community more fully with it."

Present plans are for the Hall to be a year-round operation. Younger women now meet there every week to discuss common ideas and problems. This fall, there will be both a Child Wellness Day and a Seniors' Wellness and Information Day, where young and old can both get important health information and, in the case of the seniors, even a number of medical services. "We'll also be offering a Homework Club," says Geri, "where kids can come to use the internet and volunteer tutors will help them with their assignments."

While driving back to Lockeport from Wood's Harbour, Lillian discusses some of the many aspects of the work of the Shelburne County Women's FishNet. As we near Lockeport, she turns and says, "You know, just about everything the Women's FishNet is doing here is a work in progress." On reflecting on the work and the words of Lillian, Geri, Pam, Phyllis, and others involved in the Shelburne County Women's FishNet, there can be very little doubt that "progress" has been made, and will continue to be made, among the women working together in Shelburne County.

The Lockeport and Area Women's Friendship Group can be reached at 656-2785, while the Wood's Harbour Women's Resource Centre's number is 723-0080. Both serve as contacts for the Shelburne County Women's FishNet.

Sheriff's Challenge, Varmints' Answer

The Sheriff walks into the bar, and lays down the law. "Aw'right, you varmints," he drawls, "You'se guys gotta be twice as good as before. Or else!"

That was essentially what happened a few years ago when David Anderson, then the federal Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), decreed that egg production in the lobster fishery must be doubled over the next five years. Never mind that there was no adequate way to measure egg production at the time. And, never mind that there was no yardstick for measuring success in increasing it. The law was laid down, and lobster fishermen all along our coasts had their creativity challenged. In each of the twelve Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) around Nova Scotia, harvesters had one question before them: "How can we do this?" Or – given the fuzzy nature of DFO scientific data that leaves the question of current egg production unclear and lacks a sure means of measuring an increase in production – "How can we make our best effort to do this?"

There were a number of options to be considered. One was V-notching of egg-bearing, or "berried" females, in which a small, particular portion of the tail-shell is removed with a specialized tool. (The landing and sale of V-notched lobsters is strictly illegal: they must be immediately returned to the water. V-notching has been a standard practice in the Maine lobster fishery for decades.) On the pro side, V-notching identifies and protects proven egg-bearing animals. But on the con side, the notch disappears over time because lobster continually shed and grow new shells.

Another option was to increase the size limits of legally landed lobsters. This would keep more lobster of both sexes in the water longer, but would also impact directly – sometimes very substantially – on harvesters' incomes. Also considered in some areas were a maximum size for females, the closing of certain areas previously open to fishing, and other measures.

In 1998, harvesters in LFAs 32 and 31B, which covers the area from just east of Dartmouth to Whitehead, not far from Canso, had a size increase imposed on them by DFO. In 1999, Ottawa was ready to impose another increase, but protests from harvesters, who belong to the Eastern Shore Fisherman's Protective Association (ESFPA) , persuaded the feds to back off, but only on condition that the harvesters come up with an alternative plan for the 2000 season.

Lobster season in 31B and 32 runs from mid-April until late June, so early this year harvesters got together to consider ways of increasing egg production to DFO's satisfaction. "This was something that would have a big impact on people's livelihoods, on their incomes, for the year," remembers Nellie Baker , Fish Manager for the ESFPA. "So, there was a really good turn-out."

Lloyd Robicheau has fished out of Three Fathom Harbour for the past fifteen years, and he was also at the meeting. "We felt we could come up with a plan of our own," he remembers, "so we took DFO's figures on how much egg production would increase if there was another size increase. We asked ourselves: 'What other ways might we get the same results?'"

There are different classes of licences in both LFAs, but the vast majority of them are known as "Class A." After extensive discussions, the harvesters came up with a proposal of their own: the 140 Class A licence holders in LFA 32 and the 66 in 31B would each put aside between 220 and 240 pounds of mature, unberried females, V-notch them, and return them to the waters where they were caught. (The few other licence holders were to return varying amounts of unberried females, depending on the number of traps attached to their licences.)

"It was our own plan," says Lloyd, "but it would only work if every single fisherman took part. When we voted on it at the meeting, there was only a handful of people opposed to it. But, in the end, we got every last fisherman to participate."

"The beauty of the plan," says Nellie, "is that the cost of the conservation measure would be plain for all to see. Say if, on the day a harvester's 220 pounds were returned, lobster buyers were offering $5.50 a pound. That would mean the cost of this conservation move to the harvester would be $1,210. That's a real sacrifice, but every single lobster fisherman made it."

After getting everyone to agree to the plan, the next step was to convince DFO that it was a reasonable alternative to a size increase or other possible measures. And the key to that convincing lay in the verification process. Nellie of the ESFPA contacted the Fishermen and Scientists Research Society (FSRS) , a non-profit, active partnership between (mostly DFO) scientists and fishermen based at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth. Among its aims is to encourage the "participation of fishermen in the development of a sound information base" in order to "contribute to more effective resource management." The FSRS was contracted by the ESFPA to provide technicians to verify the participation of every fisherman in both LFAs.

"When a group of fishermen had collected enough females," Nellie says, "they'd call me. Then I'd call the FSRS, and they'd send a technician out. The technicians would weigh the lobster, sign a confirmation form, and take a number of measurements of each of the animals. Then they would go together in the boat, and the fishermen would identify the area where they had caught his lobster. Finally, the fishermen and technicians would quickly remove the elastic bands around the claws, apply the V-notch, and return the lobsters, one at a time, to the water. It was a rather cumbersome process, but everything went amazingly smoothly."

Smoothly indeed. According to Jim Jamieson, Senior Advisor of the Resource Management Branch for DFO's Scotia-Fundy Region, "They came up with the initiative themselves, figured out a way to have things verified, and did it all themselves. They've led the way in Atlantic Canada in recent years in demonstrating a strong commitment to improving overall lobster conservation. They are to be congratulated."

The FSRS prepared a report for the ESFPA on this innovative conservation program, and it was presented to DFO's Science Branch. It contains tables and text indicating how many lobster were released from each port, lots of data regarding the various measurements taken, and suggestions on how improvements might be made if there's a similar program in coming years. The report's authors, Carl MacDonald and Shannon Scott, conclude their discussion of the program by noting that:

It is impossible to get an accurate count on the number of eggs that this V-notching program is going to generate... But what is important is this V-notching program will definitely increase the number of eggs in the LFAs and likewise the number of lobster. The unanswered question is: "By how much?" There are too many variables to say with any degree of accuracy. One fisherman told [us] that baby lobsters come from their mothers. Therefore, the more mothers reproducing, the more baby lobster there will be. Conservation does not need to be complicated.

"The fishermen bought into this program," says Lloyd Robicheau. "The only way a fisheries conservation program can be successful is if the fishermen themselves support it." And support it they do. Though they want to make some adjustments to reflect lessons learned in the first year, most Eastern Shore lobster harvesters would like a similar program to run in the future. Their common sense tells them that it's both fair to all and a good means of stewardship of the resource. More mothers, more babies. Hardly rocket science.

But the "Sheriff" has yet to decide if the "varmints" have cleaned up their act enough to satisfy him. The "Sheriff" in the case is DFO's Science Branch, which is due to issue a judgement on the program early next year. The "varmints" are rightly proud of their grass-roots initiative in stewardship of the lobster resource. Harvesters in other LFAs around the province are also awaiting the "Sheriff's" judgement. Everyone is hopeful that there will be a happy, peaceful sunset to walk off into.

For more information on this innovative conservation initiative contact the ESFPA's Fish Manager, Nellie Baker, at 889-2564.

Acting Up in Northern Nova Scotia

"How are you? It's good to see you!" The speaker is Bette Douglas, and the scene is the old Post Office building in downtown Amherst on a mid-summer afternoon. The sprightly, grey-haired woman, it seems, meets everyone who walks in the door with the same enthusiastic greeting.

Banners all along Amherst's main street, and hanging above the entrance to the old Post Office, are emblazoned with the words "Tantramar Theatre Festival." This year the Festival features two evening productions for adults – Jack , based on Jack the Ripper's terrible deeds in nineteenth-century London, and Pumpboys and Dinettes , a country-and-western musical revue set in the American South – and Jack and the Beanstalk , a matinée production for youngsters. Community theatre is obviously alive and well in northern Nova Scotia. And that's in no small part due to Bette, the enthusiastic greeter of all comers.

"I've been involved in theatre all my life," says the long-time Amherst resident, "starting as a child in the local Anglican Church." After her children were grown, in the mid-1980s, she took some theatre courses at Mount Alison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. Then, in 1987, she was hired by the Memramcook Institute in New Brunswick to set up the Memramcook School of Performing Arts, which would include a summer theatre training programs for young people. The Tantramar Theatre Festival developed from her work at Memramcook.

"The Tantramar Theatre Society was formed as a registered, charitable organization back in 1991," Bette tells me, "and the Festival has been growing ever since. When we started, it just was a week-long affair, and now we're up to five weeks here in Amherst and another at The Creamery in Tatamagouche."

Bette's volunteer work for the Festival is only a small part of what she contributes to her community. Year-round, she is involved in teaching theatre and other skills to young people through training programs offered by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). "I have a very high regard for the people who work in the local HRDC office," she says. "They are clearly of the community themselves, and they are in the business of helping people find work. Preparing for your working life is a lot like preparing for theatre, for a role. We can't find jobs for all these young people ourselves," she continues, "but we can teach them the skills they need to get a job themselves. And 85 to 90 percent of those who go through our programs go on to full-time work. These theatre skills programs really work. It's not just touchy-feely, Romper Room stuff. It prepares people for life."

As Bette and I talk at the back of the theatre, more than twenty young people are bustling about backstage, answering the telephone, selling tickets, doing everything needed to be ready for the presentation of Jack and the Beanstalk at one o'clock. "We have a great bunch of kids this year," Bette tells me. "In fact, it seems we always do. And some of them have gone on to great things."

Meredith MacNeill is one veteran of the Tantramar Theatre whose talents have taken her far. She studies at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, England. "Meredith has just finished her second year in London, where she was one of 2,000 people competing for just 36 positions," Bette explains. "We're all very proud of Meredith, but her tuition, in the area of $25,000 a year, takes a lot of fund-raising!"

Meredith is home in Amherst for the summer, and she greatly appreciates the opportunities that have been opened up for her through Bette's work and her Tantramar Theatre experience. "Without Bette and Tantramar, I know I wouldn't be where I am today. I'm 25 now, and Bette and the Theatre have been a central part of my life since I was six."

The Festival, which employs 22 young actors this summer, receives support from the Town of Amherst, the provincial Department of Heritage and Culture, the Central Nova Tourism Association, the province's summer employment program, as well as from both corporate and individual sponsors. Despite such support, ticket sales account for about 75 percent of the Festival's operating costs.

The Festival now housed in the old Post Office – one of downtown Amherst's most imposing buildings – wasn't always so lucky. "Back in 1997, the building was empty, and there's quite a process you have to go through to gain access to federal property," Bette recalls. "We got a lot of help from Bill Casey, our local Member of Parliament, and from the people at Public Works Canada, who bent over backwards for us. We were so happy to get this facility, and we use it year-round. Before 1997 we were based hither and yon. We've done plays on buses and in barns!"

The minute hand moves toward the top of the clock, adults and children stroll into the building, Bette sells tickets and shepherds people to their seats, and the lights come on for Jack and the Beanstalk . It tells the traditional children's story with a lively mix of dialogue and song that directly engages the audience, especially the youngsters. The set itself is a masterpiece of creativity, and the enthusiasm of both actors and children is infectious. The young actor playing Jack, my program tells me, is William Shatford, and I recognize his face from before the play, when he was selling raffle tickets in the lobby to raise money for the Festival.

After the curtain falls, I chat with thirteen-year-old William. "Six or seven years ago, one of my friends got involved in this thing, so I came along too and worked behind the scenes, selling pop and things like that," he says. "Now, I'm a real theatre rat, and Jack and the Beanstalk is my first time in the limelight. I acted in some plays before, playing grown-ups in Shakespeare and things like that. But playing Jack is way easier, because I'm a thirteen-year-old kid, and I'm playing a thirteen-year-old kid."

William's progression from pop-seller to star isn't unusual for the Tantramar Festival. "Continuity is one of our great strengths," Bette says. "William, it seems, has been around here forever. Our set designer and builder, Jaczar (he legally has only the one name), has been with us a long, long time. And, take Sarah Ironside – the woman who plays Jack's mother – she started here when she was nine. Now she has a two-year-old son of her own." (As Bette tells me this I can't help but think that she might already have theatric plans for the two-year-old.)

Charles Follini directs Jack and the Beanstalk and also plays a part in the evening production of Jack. Although originally from the United States, he moved to Amherst as a seven-year-old when his mother came to work at the School for the Deaf and his father set up a private psychology practice. Charles studied theatre at Acadia and has become an important part of the Festival. "He's been here ten years," Bette tells me, "and he's very creative. He and I both tolerate and complement each other."

After Jack , I spend the afternoon taking a short hike in the countryside, walking Amherst's busy main street, and getting myself around a good meal of roast beef at a restaurant across the street from the Theatre. When I arrive in the lobby again that evening, I meet Charles Follini just coming in the door. He tells me a bit about his work putting on theatre workshops throughout the year. "It's exciting working with young people," he says, "because kids love using their imagination, and theatre broadens the parameters of imagination. Community theatre has been growing over the past several years, and I think it's because people are coming more and more to recognize the creative joy of acting." He tells me that, although some tourists come to the Festival, its main market is local. As I watch people come in for the evening production of Jack , I can glean from some of the conversation where people are from: here, two women from England; there, a family originally from Amherst back visiting from their home in Thunder Bay; but, most often, it's local people come to watch local people perform.

The script for Jack was also written by a local resident. Originally from Bedford, Don Miller has served for several years served as Minister at the lovely United Baptist Church next door to the Theatre. "The local schools here nurture local culture," he tells me, "because they realize the great value of cultural programs." Jack is my fourth original script for the Festival," he adds, "and each time I see a new one in production, it's like seeing the fulfillment of a dream. And these young kids are great!"

The Theatre slowly fills, and the lights go up for Jack . Again, the set is ingenious, as the scene shifts from the rough streets of London to mortuary to drawing room and back. The performances are all delightful, particularly that of Heather Colquhoun, who I recognize as the same actor who played "The Giant" in the afternoon show. Seeing her now playing "a lady of the night" takes a bit of mental shift on my part, but her complete embracing of her character and her situation make my shift almost seamless.

At intermission, I chance to fall into conversation with Pat and Mary Langevin, a Dartmouth couple who drove up after work just to catch the play. "We have a great interest in Jack the Ripper," Pat tells me. "The era has a great fascination for both of us," Mary adds. "It's almost as if we were both born here by mistake, that we belong in nineteenth-century London instead. The play is really well done."

We all filed back into the Theatre for the second half of the performance, which was equally impressive as the first. (No, Jack's identity is never revealed.) I was so impressed with both performances that immediately after the play, I rushed up to Bette Douglas and asked her, "Where in the world do you find such actors?"

"Give me a few hours with you, and I could have you in a play tomorrow night!" she responds. Fortunately, I don't have time to take her up on her offer (or was it a challenge?), so Amherst audiences were mercifully spared. But, driving back to Halifax on a warm summer night, I couldn't help daydreaming about her suggestion. If anyone anywhere could turn me into an actor, I knew it would be Bette. For her, and for all the talented people involved in the Tantramar Theatre Festival, the people of northern Nova Scotia have ample cause to feel both gratitude and pride.

Cape Breton-P.E.I Ferry Service: Looping the Loop?

In a bid to further energize the growing tourism sector and to build upon and strengthen links between eastern Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, representatives from the two areas met recently in Port Hawkesbury. They were there to discuss a just-completed feasibility study that examined the possibility of a ferry link between western Cape Breton and eastern P.E.I.. Among those present were Board members from the Strait-Highlands RDA, Souris, P.E.I. Mayor Gus Clinton, and representatives from the P.E.I. Development Agency and Active Communities, P.E.I.

The feasibility study was funded jointly by Inverness County, the Town of Souris, Enterprise Cape Breton, and the Cape Breton and Strait-Highlands RDAs. The idea of a ferry link between Cape Breton and P.E.I. has long been a topic of speculation in western Cape Breton, and the Strait-Highlands RDA wanted to take another close look at the concept, now that the Confederation Bridge between New Brunswick and P.E.I. has been operating for a few years. Changes in traffic patterns caused by the opening of the Bridge and an increase in tourism numbers have changed the dynamics of travel in the Maritimes, so it seemed like a good time to look at some creative options, such as a ferry between P.E.I. and Cape Breton. Many people believe such a link would attract new visitors to both areas and greatly benefit local businesses.

Both regions are effectively by-passed by established tourism patterns, and people in both areas feel that such a service would offer tourists the option of travelling in a loop through the Atlantic Canada, rather than having to retrace their steps. So, the prospect of a ferry between eastern P.E.I. and western Cape Breton appeals to tourism operators and municipal officials on both sides of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

The Strait-Highlands RDA hired MariNova Consulting to examine the feasibility of the ferry link, looking at both the potential market and the costs of infrastructure and operations. It surveyed tourists at five locations in both Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and half of them indicated they would be interested. MariNova concluded that a market clearly exists for the crossing and that the potential annual market for such a service would be close to a million people. The service, it seems, could be viable without government subsidy, especially if the vessel were to spend the winter months operating in the Caribbean or elsewhere.

Souris is the largest centre in eastern P.E.I. and serves as terminus for the ferry service to the Magdalen Islands, so it already has appropriate port facilities. The MariNova study looked at where the most appropriate Cape Breton terminus might be. It examined wharves from Harbourview, just south of Port Hood, to Cheticamp, and concluded that a facility somewhere in the Port Hood area might be most appropriate.

The Strait-Highlands RDA will continue to act as a facilitator and broker in hopes of bringing this proposed link to reality. The MariNova study has laid the groundwork for a solid business plan any potential operator might want to develop. The RDA will also review and assess further engineering information related to the proposed crossing, and then fold that in to the MariNova study. The next step will be to find a suitable operator - which might be an enterprise already providing ferry services in the Atlantic region, or one seeking to move into the taking-people-and-cars-over-water business.

For more information on the proposed crossing, please contact Francis Gillies at the Strait-Highlands RDA at 625-3929.

Pictou Launch: One "Hec" of a Weekend

The Town of Pictou on the Northumberland Shore of Nova Scotia is an area rich in Scottish culture, heritage, and traditions. On September 15, 1773 the ship Hector arrived in Pictou Harbour, bringing 189 Scottish settlers to "New Scotland." So began an influx of Scottish settlers and a migration to Canada that has had a deep impact on the development of Nova Scotia.

In days gone by, the port of Pictou thrived, and the waterfront was a hub of shipbuilding, trade, and commerce. Today, Pictou's heritage is reflected through the construction of an authentic replica of the Hector . The new vessel will serve as a living tribute to the ship that brought the first Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia, and will mark the original ship's place in our history.

The exacting reconstruction has taken more than a decade to complete, and the Hector now serves as the central focus of an overall waterfront development program devoted to Pictou's culture and history. In commemoration of this historic event, the Ship Hector Launch 2000 will take place September 16, 2000, in Pictou, Nova Scotia. The weekend will be filled with special celebrations of Scottish culture and heritage. Among the events and festivities will be an encampment depicting life during the eighteenth century, massed pipe bands, animators in period costume, a military tattoo, choirs, model boat displays, Highland dance demonstrations, Scottish teas, and traditional entertainment.

On River Hebert's Victory Of Education and Democracy

It was heartening to read in your July/August issue of the success local people have had in saving River Hebert District High School. [See "Quite an Education" in the issue noted.] But it's appalling that they had to use their own resources to battle the blind bureaucracy in the Department of Education. Here, as in so many other aspects of life in Nova Scotia, we have some of the best minds of the 19th century trying to solve the problems of the 21st.

In the 1960s, I took part in the Alaska Rural School Project. It was funded by the Ford Foundation and focussed on bringing the best education to Alaskans living in small communities. The project followed on what had been learned when mines closed down in small communities in the American West. Schools there and in Alaska had a few teachers running Primary to Grade XII classes in small schools.

These two American experiences showed how the role of the teacher could change from being the sole source of knowledge and information and instead become the enabler and facilitator of self-learning by young people. Also, older students helped younger students to learn.

I'm sure that the Ford Foundation could provide reports on the Alaskan venture. When Americans are good, they are very, very good. When they are not – they tell you all about it. Also the federal government is promoting two small programs that could enhance learning in small, rural communities – Canada's SchoolNet and the Community Access Program. They also offer computers for schools. Our young people, who are very technology-wise, now have the chance to learn from the best minds in the world. They don't have to go to one large educational factory to do this.

If the people of River Hebert can offer new ways of learning to young people in rural communities, they could solve their own educational problems, beat off the educational bureaucracy, and inspire other to take control of the learning of their young people. You have to do more than oppose the big bureaucracies of our time – you have to show more effective, alternative ways of doing things more cheaply than they can. The fight of the people of River Hebert is not just about education. It's about democracy, and what happens here is of great interest to everyone concerned with government of the people, for the people, by the people.

Jim Lotz is a Senior Research Fellow of the Community Economic Development (CED) Institute and the University College of Cape Breton. For more information on the Community Access Program, contact your local library. For information on Canada's SchoolNet, call 1-800-575-9200 or visit their website at www.schoolnet.ca.

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.

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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.

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— 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;

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CCN Coordinator:
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Recognizing Past Divides, Building Future Unity

Our Relationship With Nature

Our Relationship With One Another

Our Relationship With The Spirit

Moving Forward Together

Casting Lifelines: A Work in Progress

Sheriff's Challenge, Varmints' Answer

Acting Up in Northern Nova Scotia

Cape Breton-P.E.I Ferry Service: Looping the Loop?

Pictou Launch: One "Hec" of a Weekend

On River Hebert's Victory Of Education and Democracy

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

Recognizing Past Divides, Building Future Unity

Our Relationship With Nature

Our Relationship With One Another

Our Relationship With The Spirit

Moving Forward Together

Casting Lifelines: A Work in Progress

Sheriff's Challenge, Varmints' Answer

Acting Up in Northern Nova Scotia

Cape Breton-P.E.I Ferry Service: Looping the Loop?

Pictou Launch: One "Hec" of a Weekend

On River Hebert's Victory Of Education and Democracy

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