Mi'kmaw chiefs reject fracking in Nova Scotia

Michael Gorman · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 11:13 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Days aft Premier Tim Houston's authorities passed authorities that lifts the provincial moratorium connected hydraulic fracturing for onshore earthy gas, Mi'kmaw leaders in Nova Scotia are making their presumption wide and threatening ineligible action.

"The Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs proceed to stay opposed to hydraulic fracturing and volition not spot it hap successful our unceded and accepted territory," reads a missive to the premier that is signed by the 13 chiefs who comprise the assembly.

The missive was posted connected societal media Thursday night.

On Friday, the assembly released a connection saying that they are looking into filing an injunction into the province's law-making process connected fracking and uranium mining due to the fact that the authorities is making decisions "about the lands and waters successful the unceded and accepted territory of the Mi'kmaq, without immoderate existent information of the rights holders."

"Environmental racism is simply a existent thing," Chief Michelle Glasgow is quoted arsenic saying successful the release.

"The Province of Nova Scotia and Premier Houston are making decisions and moving astatine a velocity that appears rooted successful racist and assemblage practices. They proceed to marginalize the voices, presumption and concerns of the Mi'kmaq."

New direction for government

The chiefs person been astatine likelihood with Houston and his authorities since a caller argumentation displacement by the Progressive Conservatives that focuses connected the improvement of the province's earthy resources.

When Houston announced the caller absorption successful January, helium said the state needs to make its earthy resources to marque Nova Scotia much financially self-sufficient astatine a clip erstwhile Canada faces the menace of tariffs from the United States government.

In announcing the shift, Houston said his authorities was taking connected unnamed peculiar interests and nonrecreational protesters whom helium accused of pressuring erstwhile governments and holding backmost the province's economical improvement potential.

• Premier Tim Houston unveils propulsion for much earthy assets improvement successful Nova Scotia

• Government measure to assistance fracking moratorium, uranium mining prohibition successful N.S. clears last reading

• N.S. Mi'kmaw chiefs accidental they should person been consulted connected earthy resources legislation

The premier was forced to clarify past period that helium did not presumption the Mi'kmaq arsenic a peculiar involvement radical aft a missive from the assembly reminding him of the ineligible request for First Nations consultation.

Houston heard from the assembly astir the request for consultation again pursuing the instauration of Bill 6, the authorities that lifts the fracking moratorium and prohibition connected uranium exploration and mining.

That prompted a gathering with the premier, L'nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin and the chiefs.

Interest from industry

On Tuesday astatine Province House, Houston told reporters that the gathering helium and Martin had with the chiefs was "productive."

The authorities needs to "continue to person a treatment with [the chiefs] and impact them and stock much accusation with them arsenic things spell forward," the premier said.

In its connection Friday, assembly members said they were speaking retired to dispel any notion that they were "properly consulted and/or connected committee with these caller provincial decisions."

"These implications are inaccurate and skirt the information astir however discussions with the Mi'kmaq are truly going."

The Progressive Conservatives pushed up with Bill 6 unamended contempt the concerns of the chiefs and members of the nationalist who made written submissions and in-person presentations to the legislature's nationalist bills committee.

Although determination was manufacture enactment for uranium exploration and mining during that committee meeting, determination were nary supportive presentations for fracking.

Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau aboriginal told reporters that officials successful his section are alert of companies with involvement successful the legislative changes happening successful Nova Scotia. Boudreau said lifting the fracking moratorium is "an accidental for america to look astatine what is the creation of the possible."

"A 100 per cent of our earthy state either comes from oregon flows done the United States," helium said.

'It's clip to person the discussion'

Earlier this week, the premier acknowledged the pushback the program to assistance the fracking moratorium has received. He and Boudreau person been steadfast that nary task would beryllium approved without a rigorous biology appraisal that shows it tin hap without compromising biology oregon quality health.

"It's OK for Nova Scotians to person a spot of nervousness astir a alteration successful having these discussions," said Houston.

"That's OK. I stock that. That's wherefore we cognize that we'll person an effectual process going forward, but it's clip to person the treatment connected the improvement of our earthy resources. For the astir part, I deliberation Nova Scotians are connected committee with that."