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Stan Rogers Folk Festival
Music to Their Ears;
by Duncan Matheson
It's Sunday morning, the final day of last summer's Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Guysborough County, and you couldn't wipe the grin off Brian O'Handley's face if you tried. He's sitting at a picnic table on site, taking a breather. "I've been at the Canso Co-op for 23 years, and this is the best week we've ever had," he says. For the record, the next best week was during the 1999 Festival. O'Handley, the manager of the local co-op, has come off a very hot three weeks, supplying everything from paint for the concession stands to food for the performers, not to mention the food and camping supplies for a good number of the 13,500 music fans who have just helped set a new attendance record.
Downtown, Theresa Bond Keating hired five extra people just to try to keep up with the dishes at her Tess's Ocean Mist, the only sit-down restaurant in the community. Keating and her staff pumped out 600 breakfasts on each of the three mornings of the Festival, not to mention lunches and dinners.
Canso Mayor and arena manager Ron George spent his weekend up to his wrists in sausage grease in the arena canteen, which is on the Festival site. George says the estimated $27,000 in food sales they brought in will help keep the arena operating. "I'm not saying it would close otherwise, but there's no question we'd be in trouble."
As far as music festivals go, Stanfest, as it has become known, is a mere baby, but very big for its age. Although it's only been around for four years, it has already established itself as a major folk event, and is arguably the fastest growing musical festival on the continent.
The numbers underline the success. The Festival has gone from drawing 3,000 people in 1997 to 13,500 last year. It just turned its first profit: in fact, it brought in enough this past year to pay off the accumulated debts of the first three years, with some money left over. That's almost unheard of for music festivals, where the rule of thumb is seven years before a profit is realized. Stanfest continues to wean itself off government help. In its first year, provincial and federal governments were good for half of the $300,000 cost. Last year, total government funding accounted for about $30,000 of the $415,000 budget. The economic impact on the area this year is estimated at $1 million, a serious return on investment in anybody's book.
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But how did Stanfest come to be? And why, of all places for an international music festival, is it here in this little community of few facilities (the only motel has eleven rooms) so far from major population centres? (For the uninitiated, Canso should not be confused with the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton. The town of Canso is on the extreme eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, about 100 kilometres down the coast from the Causeway.)
A quick bit of history: Canso is the oldest fishing port in the Maritimes. In its heyday of the 1980s, the local fish plant employed up to 800 people, with lots more people at work on the boats. But when the groundfishery collapsed in the early '90s, so too, almost, did the town. Fish plant layoffs drove unemployment to a staggering 70 percent, and over the next few years there was a large out-migration, especially of young people. But not all young people. And here's where the seed for Stanfest took root in 1995.
One local who refused to go down the road was Troy Greencorn, a young man who returned to his home town after university to work as an economic development officer. Economically minded and a visionary, he was looking for something that would give the community an economic boost. His business side told him that diversity was central to the area's economic future. His visionary side wanted something that would put Canso back on the map. His dream was to create an international music festival.
He took his idea to his brother-in-law, Chris Lumsden, who owns the local sign shop, and to Bill MacMillan, who owns a local campground. The three put their heads together, trying to figure out how they could pull something off. And then they struck on their ace in the hole - Stan Rogers. Even though he was killed in an aeroplane crash in 1983, Stan Rogers remained as big an icon of Canadian folk music as there has ever been, and he had ties to the area: his mother was from Canso. Troy, Chris, and Bill figured that if they could take advantage of this link, if they could use his name, if it could be the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, people would come.
At the same time Greencorn and friends hatched this idea, Stan's widow Ariel, a musician, happened to be on Prince Edward Island for the 1996 East Coast Music Awards, so the trio headed to the Island to give it their best shot.
Ariel Rogers heard them out, but it was important to her that, if they were to use Stan's name, they would have to do it right. She had two conditions. One was that they hire Mitch Podolak, a man who was close to Stan and the brains behind the successful Winnipeg Folk Festival, to oversee organizing the event for the first year or two. The other was that the focus not be on just Stan and his music, but on a wide variety of songwriters and their music.
The trio could live with these conditions, so the Festival now had a name. They had met their first challenge, but there were many more to overcome. As Ariel Rogers puts it, "For a little while, it was like watching a bunch of ants trying to push a string up a hill."
Next came selling the idea to the local community and, not only gaining their support, but also getting 500 of them to volunteer. No mean feat, given that the town's population is only 1,200 and change. But Mary Taylor, an unemployed fish-plant worker hired to manage the Festival office, had a simple answer: "Phone everybody, tell them what we're trying to do, and ask them to help." So that's exactly what they did. Almost 600 phone calls later, the volunteers were lined up and, equally important, many of the concerns of the community - from traffic to vandalism - were, if not laid to rest, at least put on the back burner as organizers were given the benefit of the doubt.
It's July 3, 2000, the day after last year's Festival ended: Canso Junior High teacher Sue Meade is wiping down tables backstage. She says volunteering for Stanfest is the "thing to do" in Canso. "People ask 'What are you doing this year?' and you are expected to have an answer," she says. If it isn't volunteering for any of the 20 crews, from gate and stage management to first aid and transportation, it might be offering the backyard for a visitor to pitch a tent.
Troy Greencorn calls it a "guerilla inclusion strategy": people volunteer just so they don't feel left out. But more than that, Greencorn believes people feel a social responsibility to pitch in. "From the start, they realized there was a lot at stake," he says. "I think they bought into the dream partly because they were scared of what would happen if we failed. But then people got caught up in it, and now feel a real ownership of this Festival."
There's no question this is a huge community effort. And the volunteering started long before many of the thousands who now attend could even find Canso on a map. "We were faced with turning what was basically a couple of large grown-over hills and a field into a major festival site, with all the necessary infrastructure," says Greencorn. "But Canso has always been an industrial town. People here know how to work with their hands, so there was an incredible amount of talent we could tap into, everything from electricians to guys with chainsaws. Ninety percent of the effort and expertise to build this was volunteered."
But, while volunteers are cheap labour, they do require maintenance, and organizers are careful to make sure they feel appreciated. Each volunteer is expected to work ten hours over the three days, and for this, they get a pass to the rest of the Festival and a t-shirt that identifies which volunteer crew they are in. The shirt is functional during the event, and popular the rest of the year — kind of a uniform that shows someone is part of the team. As well, the volunteers are invited to join with performers such as Lennie Gallant, Rawlins Cross, the Glamour Puss Blues Band, Gordie Sampson, and Eric Bogle, the guy from Australia who wrote And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda , for after-hours parties. And, several weeks after the Festival, all the volunteers are brought together for an appreciation bash.
This army of volunteers is the main reason the Festival has been successful. "Simply put," says Greencorn, "we couldn't do it without them." Another reason for the success is the strong support of sponsors.
Sponsorships have grown from $17,000 the first year to $60,000 this year, despite what is quite an unusual sponsorship policy. The rating system often used at major events - where sponsors are categorized as gold, platinum, or silver or some such thing based on how much they donate - doesn't exist at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival. All sponsors are afforded the very same VIP treatment, whether they are giving several thousand dollars as a major sponsor or $500 to sponsor a small tent. Last year, there were 30 sponsors on board, the largest number yet. And in their four years, organizers haven't lost a single one.
Whether it's the smooth management of the logistics or the quality and diversity of the performers, there's no question Stanfest has quickly established itself as a first-class festival.
One testament to its success, beyond the growth, is Ariel Roger's continuing enthusiasm. The woman who was not about to let her beloved husband's name be associated with any event unless she was sure it would be a credit to his legacy arranges her vacation to be in Canso for the Festival. She also always makes herself available as a volunteer, "To do whatever they need help with." As well, she helps keep the link to Stan alive by bringing her own considerable songwriting and performing talents to the Stanfest stage each year.
While the Festival is on a roll, so too is the town. Like Rogers' anthem to overcoming adversity, Mary Ellen Carter , Canso is rising again from the doldrums of the early '90s. The fish plant re-opened a few years back, processing a variety of species and gradually increasing its workforce, which now, depending on the season, employs up to 400 local people. Adding to the diversity is a growing information technology industry in the area, and there are other positive signs. As Greencorn says, "It looks like the '80s again." Stanfest, not just because of its economic impact, but also for what it has done for the collective attitude of the community, stands as a key ingredient of Canso's renaissance.
And the spinoffs continue to grow, both economically and geographically. This year, Sherbrooke Village, two hours down the highway toward Halifax, piggy-backed on the Festival with "The Day After Stanfest." The village took advantage of having professional performers in the area by attracting half a dozen, including Valdy, Lenny Gallant, and Stan's son Nathan Rogers, for the following day and evening, a line-up the village could otherwise never afford. The $7,000 raised will help build a new recreation facility. Sherbrooke Village spokesman George Brothers more or less guarantees that "The Day After Stanfest" will in itself become an annual institution.
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Stanfest is at a pivotal point. "With attendance now breaking 13,000," says Greencorn, "we are just about maxed out for this facility the way it is now. To grow beyond this, there is any number of significant logistical challenges. But even more important is the basic decision on whether growth is desirable."
Greencorn favours a slow growth strategy. "It doesn't have to grow much more. What is crucial is that we don't grow at a pace the community isn't comfortable with. That would be self-defeating. So we will be conscious of this at every step."
While always conscious of the Festival's fit in the community and its considerable economic contribution, Greencorn and other organizers fully appreciate that, after all is said and done, it comes down to the music. As Ariel Rogers puts it, "They got a good thing here, a very good thing. They just have to maintain that high standard of talent and they will be fine."
They will. And that's something they can take to the bank.
Duncan Matheson is a Fredericton-based writer. This article originally appeared, in slightly different form, in the November 2000 edition of Atlantic Progress magazine. Reprinted with permission. To contact the Stanfest office in Canso, call 366-2399.
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Pictou Landing
Making Wood, and Woods, Work:
Now and Tomorrow
by Scott Milsom
The Pictou Island Mi'Kmaq Reserve is home to just over 500 people. As is the unfortunate case on most First Nations' territory across Canada, unemployment is unacceptably high. But, despite all the seas of ink and miles of video tape devoted to detailing problems on reserves across the country, there are also lots of good things happening. But, for whatever reasons, these stories generally receive far less attention than do the " bad news " variety.
Nova Scotians who are both old enough to remember and take an interest in the environment will recall another " bad news " story from years past. For more than two decades, the words " Boat Harbour " were synonymous with terrible corporate pollution and irresponsible government regulation. In the 1960s, in order to convince Scott Paper to open a pulp mill in Pictou County, the province agreed to construct and operate an industrial waste facility at Boat Harbour. For the next twenty years and more, pollution from this site fouled water and flooded land all over the area, including property that made up part of the Pictou Landing Reserve.
But out of bad things sometimes can come some good. In the early 1990s, the federal government and the Pictou Landing Mi'Kmaq Band agreed to an out-of court settlement for the pollution of Native lands and waters. One of the many worthwhile projects these funds have helped launch came in response to a particular problem identified by local women.
While unemployment on the Reserve was very high, it was even higher among the women. Other than a few jobs in the Band Office, there was virtually no work available to them. Aileen Francis is Social Development Officer for the Pictou Landing Band, and in the mid-'90s she was also President of the Pictou Landing Women's Association. " The women were getting together to see what could be done," she recalls, " and it was clear that, if we were going to develop jobs for women, we were going to have to look in areas where women have not traditionally worked. We knew that there was going to be a fair bit of construction here in the coming years, and we also knew that there was only one qualified carpenter on the entire Reserve. So we decided we wanted to develop a course that would teach local women carpentry skills they could use to find decent jobs."
The women's first hurdle was to get the Pictou Landing Band to agree with the idea. In the spring of 1997, a referendum was held to determine whether the Band Council should fund the project. " At first," recalls Aileen, " many of the men were sceptical, and the vote was only narrowly in favour of the project. Since then, though, as the project has developed, most of the men have come to see the value of it."
There were more hurdles to be overcome. Becoming a qualified carpenter in Nova Scotia is no fast and easy task. The Carpenter Trade Regulations under the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act requires that a carpenter apprentice work at least 8,000 hours (the equivalent of four full years of employment) with a certified Carpenter. Apprentices learn on-the-job skills, attend technical classes, and undergo an examination process. It is most common for much of this training to be undertaken through the Nova Scotia Community College system, but the Pictou Landing women wanted to learn their trade while doing work on the Reserve itself. The women sought and received help from the Truro-based Native Women's Association of Nova Scotia. Clarence Gould, a Mi'Kmaq carpenter originally from the Membertou Reserve near Sydney, but who currently lives near Truro, was approved as a certified carpentry trainer by the Apprenticeship Training Division. He would supervise the women's community-based training in their native Mi'Kmaq language.
" With everything finally in place,' recalls Aileen, " the five available positions were advertised throughout the community. We received more than 30 applications, and the final selection was based on need." The project is administered by the Pictou Landing Women's Association, which pays Clarence Gould's salary and supplements the wages of the five women. Between them, the women share the use of a pick-up truck. Begun in 1997, the project consists of five " blocks, " and the women are now nearing the end of the third of these. So far, they have built a two-unit apartment building, two family homes (one of which is owned by one of the apprentices), and have done numerous renovations around the Reserve. Any funds from community projects they undertake goes to pay for basic expenses and supplies. Final certification of the five women will likely come sometime in 2003, and there has already been some talk of the five getting together to form a carpentry co-op.
The Pictou Landing apprenticeship experiment looks to be a great success. " The Carpenter Apprenticeship training program at Pictou Landing can be an inspiration to all who seek to improve their quality of life," says Joe Black, Acting Director of Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications with the provincial Department of Education. " It's a pleasure to work with and support the efforts of people as dedicated as the women apprentices at Pictou Landing. Their commitment to participate in and complete quality training and secure employment in the carpentry trade is admirable. We're proud to be a partner in this initiative."
There's also a second success story going on at Pictou Landing, and it too involves wood. The Band administers a 1,000-hectare woodlot, and, unlike so much of the province's forests, it is managed in a very sustainable manner. These uncommon forestry practices have been called " Mi'kmawey Forestry... an old idea with a new beginning." According to Bill McKay, Director of the First Nations Forestry Association in Nova Scotia , " The emphasis in the Pictou Landing woodlot is unusual in that economics is not the first and only consideration. In fact, economics takes a back seat to other factors when deciding how to operate the woodlot. Other factors, such as traditional, environmental, and social costs and benefits are considered first. For instance, we never cut the tallest tree in a given area, and we work to maintain a diverse, multi-steroid forest. If a dead tree is still standing, we leave it, as we do with woody debris on the forest floor. The goal is to create and maintain a forest structure as much as possible like that which existed before the Europeans came here."
" The woodlot is managed," Bill continues, " with much more than timber in mind. Mushrooms are harvested and their growth is encouraged, as are traditional medicines. Our aim is to create and maintain 'Forests for the Children,' as well as for the present generation."
Black ash, favoured by generations of Mi'Kmaq basket makers, is a tree species that has become increasingly hard to find in Nova Scotia in recent years. " We've identified more than twenty black ashes on the Pictou Landing woodlot," says Bill. " Rather than cut them down, we've taken seeds from them and planted hundreds of black ash striplings across the province."
This admirable resource management has been recognized internationally. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an organization of consumer groups from more than 35 nations that want to be assured the wood they buy has been grown using sustainable techniques. Worldwide, it has seen to it that more than 20 million hectares of managed woodlands have been certified as using sustainable, earth-friendly management practices. (Government agencies are not permitted to belong to the FSC, but are brought to the table as sources of information.) The Pictou Landing woodlot is the only one so certified in the Maritimes, and the only Aboriginal-owned land in Canada to receive such distinction.
" The FSC makes sure that its certification process is clear and above-board," says Bill. " When it came to certifying the Pictou Landing woodlot, Smartwood , an independent certification group based in Vermont, came here in November of 1999 to do a thorough inspection and investigation. They granted the Pictou Island woodlot proper certification this past March. This means that the Pictou Landing Band can sell its forest products in high-end, value-added markets."
After talking with both Aileen and Bill at the Pictou Landing Band Office, I get directions to the woodlot. A few kilometres down the main road toward Trenton, I spot the small " Smartwood " sign at the entrance to a lightly snow-covered woods road. As promised, the gate is pinned but not locked. I get out, open it, drive past the gate, and get out again to close the gate. Settling back in my seat, I drive a few kilometres along the deserted and snow-covered road to the Band's woodlot. I notice the debris on the forest floor, the standing deadwood, the healthy mix of species. It occurs to me that this little piece of forest is very special. Driving slowly along, I spy a narrow footpath, and find a spot to pull my car over to the side of the road. Being an avid birder, I grab my binoculars before I exit the car, then wander down the path.
The snow is resting lightly on the evergreens mixed among the hardwoods. I hear the unmistakable call of a boreal chickadee, raise my binoculars, and focus. There he (she?) is, halfway up a spruce. As I hold her in my field of view, she makes her hoarse call again. I think to myself, " If you can't appreciate a simple chickadee, you're missing something joyful in life." Then I think that, when the spruce this bird is singing from has long been harvested, and perhaps formed by the women carpenters of Pictou Landing into part of a structure that will add to the quality of community life, this bird's descendants will surely have other spruce bows to spread joy from.
Somehow, I'm filled with contentment as I drive back through the snow-covered woods to the main road.
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Women's CED Network
Women On-Line:
" I'm So Proud of You, Mom!"
by Elizabeth Haggart
When Alice Evans' sister Edith told her about Women On-Line computer training in their home town of Whitney Pier, Cape Breton, she was immediately intrigued. Alice, aged 70, and Edith, who is 80, signed up for an introductory class. After one session with instructor Wendi Nearing, Alice could hardly wait for the next one.
" I was so excited," says Alice. " I love it. It's fascinating. The things you can do with a computer!" Alice progressed from learning basic computer skills to using the Internet and e-mail. Now she has her own " hotmail " account and sends e-mail to her daughter in the Cayman Islands.
Alice and Edith are just two of more than 230 Nova Scotia women of all ages who have received free computer training since Women On-Line began in October. As well as seniors, there are single mothers, businesswomen, and women working towards their high school equivalency. A program of the Women's CED Network , Women On-Line operates in Cape Breton, Antigonish, and Annapolis Counties. The Network is working to expand Women On-Line to Shelburne County and rural areas of Halifax County.
Classes are held at local Computer Access Program (CAP) sites, at times convenient to women. The sessions are short, fun, friendly, and free of charge. Topics range from basic computer skills to more complex things like word processing, searching the Internet, and using programs such as PowerPoint. Classes are small - no more than five people at a time - a deliberate attempt to keep the atmosphere informal and comfortable. And for those who need help with childcare, elder care, or transportation in order to get to the sessions, subsidies are available.
" The idea for Women On-Line came from women themselves," says Doreen Parsons, provincial Coordinator of the Women's CED Network. " Through the Network, women told us that they wanted to learn about computers, but they were having difficulty finding affordable training," she explains. " We also learned that there were young women living in rural communities who had excellent computer skills but who needed jobs and experience. So we decided to take advantage of the CAP sites in many communities to get women on-line."
The Women's CED Network was awarded funding by the Canadian Rural Partnership Pilot Projects Initiative and Industry Canada to get the project off the ground. They hired three young women from Annapolis, Antigonish, and Cape Breton Counties, provided them with training in adult education, developed a manual, and put the word out. Since the program was launched in October, the response has been overwhelming.
In Cape Breton County, instructor Wendi Nearing had filled all her classes by early November and had a waiting list of 150 people. Originally employed part-time, Wendi now works full-time on the project, offering sessions five days a week. She's still booked a month-and-a-half in advance.
" The need for computer training in Cape Breton is unbelievable," says Wendi. With such a poor economy, people can't afford to pay to upgrade or even obtain computer skills." she says. " We have people signing up every week - and we've only one had one ad in the Cape Breton Post. "
Wendi is a young mother raising her three-year-old daughter alone. Working as a data-entry clerk just before her daughter was born helped her decide to further her studies in information technology. " I realized that there was no way a person could raise a child by themselves earning just a little above minimum wage," she says. " That made me pursue further education. I started my Information Technology Diploma two months after my daughter was born."
" Women On-Line is a great opportunity for me," adds Wendi. " I really enjoy my position. I am a very outgoing person and like meeting new people. I don't like sitting behind a desk, alone all day. This way, I get to meet all different kinds of people and my brain is constantly challenged."
" All the women seem to love the sessions, " she says. " Everyone is supportive of one other — the faster learners help those having more difficulty." Now many of the women have progressed to more complex computer applications. Wendi is regularly offering PowerPoint, Internet search, e-mail, and word-processing sessions.
Alice Evans says that when she told her daughter she was studying computers, her daughter was thrilled. " She said," recalls Alice, " ' I'm so proud of you, Mom!'"
" It's very rewarding," acknowledges Wendi. " I feel like I'm accomplishing something when women tell me that they have succeeded in doing things with the computer on their own. It's wonderful to see the excitement and disbelief when they realize that they've accomplished something."
As for the next generation of Cape Breton women, Wendi is already having an impact. " My daughter has been using computers since she was a year-and-a-half. I know she will be computer literate," she says. " The other day she asked me to download a song for her… and she said download! Did I mention that she just turned three?"
For more information on Women On-Line, check out: www.womenscednet.ns.ca.
Celebrating Volunteers:
Nominations for CCN's 2001Proud Community Awards
CCN is seeking nominations for its Second Annual Proud Community Awards . This is an opportunity to celebrate your neighbours and honour volunteers in your community. Nominations are being accepted in the following categories: Youth, Seniors, Resource Management, and Community Innovation. Two finalists in each category will be invited to share their success stories at our Annual general Meeting, " Sowing Common Ground, Harvesting Success," to be held at Tatamagouche Centre April 6-8. We also anticipate that those stories will be carried by local and provincial news media.
Who Can Nominate?
What Can be Nominated?
Anyone can nominate an organization, or a representative of an organization, he or she feels is deserving of honour. Nominees can include community group projects, specific works of non-profit organizations, cooperatives, educational institutions, or individuals involved with the work of such organizations and/or projects. For nominating details, please read on.
Categories
Youth: a successful endeavour by an organization of young people, or a deserving individual involved with such an organization. (Individual nominees must be under 30 years of age.);
Seniors: a successful endeavour by an organization of seniors, or a deserving individual involved with such an organization. (Individual nominees must be 55 years of age or older.);
Resource Management: a successful endeavour in the field of sustainable, community-friendly resource management in the fishery, agricultural, forestry, or other resource sector. Deserving individuals involved in such an endeavour may also be nominated;
Community Innovation: an organization, or group of organizations, using new or creative ways of thinking or operating that successfully solves a community problem or delivers a community benefit. Deserving individuals involved in such an endeavour may also be nominated.
Judging Criteria
Each nominee should have contributed to the long-term sustainability of a community or communities.
The nominees (and the projects involved) will also be assessed by the Awards Committee on the basis of some or all of the following questions:
- does it help underscore the inherent worth of a small community or communities?
- does it forward the interests of a small community or communities?
- does it foster or encourage clear, open, and democratic participation?
- does it encourage an understanding of the closely connected nature of the social, economic, cultural, political, and environmental factors at work in small communities?
- does it encourage cooperation and/or community input and participation?
Representatives of the two finalists in each category must agree to attend the Proud Community Awards Ceremony during CCN's Annual General Meeting at Tatamagouche Centre. They will also be expected to share their success stories with delegates. (CCN will cover basic travel costs.)
Nomination Procedures and Deadline
Nomination Forms can be obtained by calling Scott Milsom at 445-7168, or by down-loading from CCN's website at www.coastalcommunities.ns.ca. Those making nominations are to provide brief answers to the questions asked on the Nomination Form, as well as a brief (up to 300 words) description of the project, organization, or individual being nominated. They should also provide all of the following information:
- name and phone number of person making nomination;
- name and phone number of nominee;
- nominees must identify which of the four categories the nomination is for.
All nominations must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 16, 2001 . Mail completed Nomination Forms to CCN, 98½ Coronation Ave., Halifax, N.S. B3N 2M8, fax to 445-7134, or e-mail to ccnews@ns.sympatico.ca.
Important Note: nominations will be judged on how well the answers and 300-word description of the nominee on the Nomination Form satisfies the judging criteria.
For more information, contact Scott Milsom at 445-7168. e-mail: ccnews@ns.sympatico.ca. Fax: 445-7134.
2001 Funding Appeal to Readers
To Readers of Coastal Communities News :
An Appeal for Assistance
Folks:
Have you found that what you've read between the covers of this magazine over the course of the past year has been of benefit to you, or to the community organization to which you belong? Has it encouraged you to work more effectively for the survival or improvement of your community? Have our stories, directly or indirectly, helped you feel more confident that we can work successfully for a better future for our coastal and rural communities?
If the answer to all these questions is a resounding " No," I guess that means, by your lights, we've not been doing a very good job. And, if that's the case, simply turn the page now. But if the answer to any or all of these questions is " Yes," please read on.
For more than five years now, we've been sending Coastal Communities News at no cost to all who have asked for it. Some receive the magazine directly by mail, while others pick it up through local community organizations. We've been able to do this mainly because we have had almost all our costs covered by a single organization. We greatly appreciate this support, but we also know that few things last forever, and so we've been looking at ways to diversify our funding sources. Though we have no plans to charge a subscription fee, we hope that those of you who find it of value will show your appreciation of Coastal Communities News in concrete form, by sending along a donation.
So, we've decided to launch the 2001 CCNews Funding Appeal to Readers. If you like what you read here, we encourage you, and/or the community group you are involved with, to chip in what you can. There's no need to break the bank: if you can spare only ten bucks, or twenty, it will be greatly appreciated, and will help assure that you'll receive the magazine for years to come. And, if you and/or your organization can afford a bit more, that too will be equally appreciated. We will print the names of all who contribute (although not the individual dollar amounts), in upcoming issues.
So, if you like what you see and can help out, please send your donation to:
Coastal Communities Network,
RR # 2,
East Bay, N.S.
B0A 1H0.
The Coastal Communities Network, which publishes the magazine, thanks you in advance. And we look forward to putting future issues in your hands.
Thanks,
Scott Milsom
Editor,
Finally, if your community group hasn't yet joined the Coastal Communities Network, simply go here to sign up.
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Sandy Cove, Digby Neck
Community School, Community Trust
At the beginning of the 1990s, the Digby
District School Board produced a study titled Dropping Out in Digby County . It detailed the startlingly high proportion of students who fail to graduate from high school, and also looked at students who had gone through the various elementary schools in Digby County to see whether they had completed Grade 12 or not.
For Digby Neck Consolidated School , the news wasn't good. The study found that fully 28 percent of its alumni went on to become high-school dropouts. Although this figure was no worse than the County-wide average, the timing of the study was bad for the little school in Sandy Cove. The local School Board was facing funding shortages and was looking to save money, perhaps by closing some of the County's smaller schools. Digby Neck's only school was in a vulnerable position.
At the time, Glenda McNeill was Principal/Teacher at the small school, which runs from Primary to Grade 6 and currently has 52 students. (Digby Neck Consolidated isn't big enough to require a full-time Principal. About 20 percent of one of the staff's time is taken up with administrative duties, while the remaining 80 percent is devoted to the classroom.) Working with her staff and the Digby Neck Home and School Association, Glenda knew that changes were needed to make the curriculum more relevant to the communities in which the students lived. With the support of the County School Board, people in the community and school staff got together to develop a local learning project called " Community Into Curriculum."
Funded by the Nova Scotia Teachers' Union's Program Development Assistance Fund, the Union's Digby Local, and area businesses and individuals, " Community Into Curriculum" sought to " connect the life of children in school to life in the community."
At the time, Digby Neck native Tony Kelly was doing most of his teaching at the elementary school in Freeport on Long Island, but he was also serving as a resource teacher at Digby Neck Consolidated and was involved with curriculum development in County schools. Today he is Principal/Teacher at the school." Students were rejecting school because the school was rejecting them," he recalls. " So, through 'Community Into Curriculum,' we invited the community into the school and made the school a more active resource for the community."
Through " Community Into Curriculum," state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment was used to photograph, videotape, and document life in the communities of Digby Neck. Stories were collected that preserved past memories, and these were shared through public displays and open houses. While learning how to use new technology, students had input into the content of the social studies material they covered. They looked at the local environment, how people work to earn a living in their communities, and how people relax and socialize. (Some of the results of these enquiries can be seen on the internet at:
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/digby_neck/.)
" Community Into Curriculum " was judged a great success. Then, soon after its election, the Liberal government of John Savage began its process of amalgamation of smaller school boards into larger units, coupled with the development of local School Advisory Councils and site-based management of local schools. Perhaps in part because " Community Into Curriculum " had given it a head-start, Digby Neck Consolidated was chosen to run a pilot project involving site-based management of the school. It looked at ways of further improving the relationship between school and community. " We got the students talking about things that were relevant to them," says Tony. " Students started looking at ways to build a sustainable fishery, ecologically friendly forestry practices, waste management alternatives, and other community issues."
That pilot project gave rise to the Digby Neck Community Development Association, which has gone on to create avenues for improving adult literacy in the area, as well as facilitating the establishment of a farmers' market, trail development, eco-tourism operations, and other institutions, developments, and events that enhance the life of the entire community.
" That pilot project," recalls Tony, " sought ways the school and the community could forge even stronger links. One obvious answer was by putting in a Community Access Point (CAP Site), so that both the school and the wider community could easily learn about and use the power of computer technology. We established a CAP Site here during the 1996-97 school year. It was one of the first in the province."
Since the end of the site-based management pilot project, the school and the broader community have gone on to deepen and strengthen the links between them. Digby Neck Consolidated is used for meetings of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, is the home of a kick-boxing club, and is used regularly by church groups, fisheries organizations, and other community groups. In the summer, a local tourism information office, a quilting club, and a child care centre have all called the school home. The school also serves as a " drop site" for the Western Counties Regional Library, where people can come to order books and then return to pick them up. Digby Neck Consolidated School is, as the sign in front of it advertises, truly " A Community Place."
In many schools across the province, the matter of legal liability in case of mishap means that community groups are denied access to facilities that are sitting idle. But according to Tony, " That hasn't been an issue here. This is a small community where everyone knows everyone else. There haven't even been any moderate security issues. Liability simply isn't an issue here, because of the very nature of the community."
" Using the school building isn't complicated," says Tony. " The deal is that you leave the place as tidy as you find it, that you lock the door when you leave, and that you return the key. The whole system operates on community trust, and there have been no breaches of that trust. In a much larger community, it might be harder to make things work this way."
One of the groups that have used the school as a gathering place is the Digby Neck Trails Association . Harold Rowe is a hiker and walking-stick maker who in 1998 moved to Digby Neck with his wife upon retirement from working in Labrador and Ontario. They operate a bed and breakfast in East Ferry, and Harold has been enjoying the trails of Digby Neck since soon after his arrival.
In some parts of the province, there is often a conflict over trail usage between four-wheelers and people who prefer to view their nature in a quieter, less noisy fashion. Not so on Digby Neck. Last summer, following a meeting at Digby Neck Consolidated, the Trails Association obtained some funding and in-kind donations to fix up some already established trails.
" We didn't want to make them fancy, with chipped gravel and all," says Harold. " We just put in boardwalks in wet spots and cleaned out hazards and deadfalls. The four-wheelers did the maintenance, but other than that they pretty much leave the trails in the summer and fall to the eco-tourists."
" We might have held that meeting in someone's house, but the school is much more a public space," says Harold. " Around here, the level of community volunteering is very high, and, though we've been here just two years, we feel accepted. Together, the people of the community and the school are a huge resource."
Digby Neck Consolidated has also hosted sessions to teach people more about composting and recycling. " There's been a lot of 'green work' done through the school," says Tony. " We see local waste as a resource that should not leave the community if at all possible. I suppose you could say that we plant our mushrooms, and harvest them, locally. Each one we grow means one less mushroom trucked in from afar. Each mushroom represents a local community reource." From mushrooms to kick-boxing to quilting, it seems that, along with the people themselves, Digby Neck Consolidated School is an outstanding community resource.
To contact Digby Neck Consolidated, please phone 834-6600 or e-mail : dnces@swrsb.ednet.ns.ca.
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DFO's Atlantic Policy
Review: More Work Needed
by François Poulin, Secretary, Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters;
Director General, Alliance of Professional Fishermen of Québec
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has undertaken a major review of its fisheries management policies on the Atlantic coast of Canada. The first scraps of information about this review that have come to light indicate that public servants in Ottawa don't want to recognize the two main principles on which licence management is based. Fishermen are at risk of losing their licences and quotas.
The first principle is that of " fleet separation," according to which there are two very distinct fleets – boats under 65 feet in length, and those over that size. With its fleet separation policy, Ottawa guarantees that processing plants aren't allowed to hold fishing licences or quotas belonging to fishermen who own boats shorter than 65 feet in length. This principle was established to avoid a concentration of fishing rights, licences, and quotas into the hands of a few large companies.
In 1977, Canada's 200-mile exclusive fishing zone was established, making a large quantity of fish available to Canadians that had previously been harvested by large, foreign vessels. These Spanish, Portuguese, French, and other vessels had fished in both the Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. When the new zone was established, Ottawa subsidized, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, the construction of both modern plants and larger vessels.
After protests by fisherman against the concentration of plants and large boats into the hands of a few, newly structured, large companies like Fisheries Products International and National Sea Products, government adopted the fleet separation policy. Its main purpose was to assure that boats less than 65 feet long would remain in the possession of active fishermen, and thereby guarantee that the benefits of the lobster, crab, groundfish, herring, and other fisheries would be shared among the various areas and communities along the Atlantic coast.
The second principle of licence management policy is the owner-operator policy, whereby only a qualified professional – a fisherman or fisherman's helper who has acquired the necessary skills – can buy a licence or quota. Unfortunately, this policy is not airtight. There are regulatory loopholes that allow processors and people outside the active fishery to buy licences and quota by means of legal arrangements that run contrary to Ottawa's stated intentions and objectives. A number of court rulings have given legal validity to loopholes.
Essentially, what the courts have done is make a distinction between a legal title – that is, the right to own a licence or quota – and the benefits that can be derived from the use of such a legal title. So, the fisherman who has his name on the licence or quota can possess the legal title (the piece of paper), while a fish plant that finances the purchase of the legal title can possess the benefits of fishing under that licence or quota. All this is outlined in a contract between the licence holder and the plant, where it is clearly stated that the plant can decide how the licence will be fished and to whom the licence or quota may be re-sold.
In such a situation, the fisherman becomes, in essence, an employee of the plant. He no longer makes the decisions, and the benefits of good years, such as the just passed 2000 season, are not available to him.
This practice deprives fishermen of ownership rights, and it is becoming more and more common in many regions. Ottawa must plug this loophole. According to legal opinions we have received, DFO could accomplish this simply by specifying in the general regulations of the Fisheries Act that the legal right to ownership of a licence or quota and the right to the benefits of that legal title are inseparable.
When a farmer invests in his farm, for taxation purposes it is considered the same as money invested in a pension plan. For a fisherman, the only investment he has when he reaches retirement is likely the money he might get for the sale of his licence or quota. However, for the fisherman, such investment is not considered as the farmer's is. Instead, it is subject to capital gains tax. This too must change.
The Alliance of Professional Fish Harvesters of Québec has made these issues a priority for the coming year. Discussions with fish harvester associations in other provinces have shown that they, too, consider it urgent that these problems be resolved. We will, therefore, be working together to bring their resolution about. The Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters is a forum that allows us to mobilize our forces to make these changes possible throughout the entire country. Fishermen from the Atlantic to the Pacific must stand together in a untied voice if we are to succeed.
The capital gains currently levied on the sale of boats, quotas, and licences will cost the next generation of fishermen an additional 25 percent investment, without providing any benefit to the current generation. A study conducted by Jim Jones, DFO's Regional Director in Moncton, shows that income earned by the next generation of lobster fishermen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence will be very low because of the large payments they will have to make on the purchase of their licences. Solutions will have to be found that will allow young fishermen who want to become captains and owner-operators to enjoy the same benefits already available to young people entering the agricultural industry.
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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
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whose mission is to provide a forum to encourage dialogue, share information,
and create strategies and actions that promote the survival and development
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"A Large Voice for Small Communities"
CCN is made up of organizations rooted in Nova Scotia's coastal and
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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
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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
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(for example, community economic development, co- management in the
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