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NEWS: Giles at ‘No Fracking Way!’ day of action

The Chronicle Herald reports, “About 50 sign-waving protesters stood beside the Canso Causeway on Saturday denouncing the plan to drill an exploratory oil well near Cape Breton’s Lake Ainslie. As they were receiving honks of support from motorists navigating the roundabout there, about 200 demonstrators gathered 265 kilometres away in Halifax’s Grand Parade to demand a 10-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of extracting oil and natural gas that is also known as fracking. …For Eva Nicholas (who had travelled to the Canso Causeway from Whycocomagh) and a group of First Nations grandmothers, it was their fifth protest at the causeway against the Lake Ainslie exploration since September.”

“Those attending the Halifax protest, which was organized by Occupy Nova Scotia, also wanted to bend the government’s ear. ‘We really need to let the provincial government know that they need to make the right decision’ and ban fracking, said Angela Giles of the Council of Canadians. ‘There is no question that there are too many issues around fracking to allow this to occur in Nova Scotia.'”

“The province is conducting a review into the environmental effects of fracking. The technical and scientific review is comparing the experiences of other jurisdictions with various hydraulic fracturing methods, their regulations and best practices. The review is expected to be released this spring and the province has promised in the past to use its findings to shape its decision on whether to allow hydraulic fracturing and, if it does, what regulations will be implemented.”

“One of the Halifax organizers told the crowd that invitations were sent to politicians at all levels, but the only one to attend the rally was Halifax MP Megan Leslie. Leslie, the federal NDP environment critic, said she’s asked a lot of questions in the House about fracking. ‘Federally, two years ago, we were promised regulations about fracking and we have yet to see them,’ Leslie told reporters. ‘The NDP is pushing very hard federally for mandatory disclosure of chemicals. I also have other questions about the cumulative impacts of fracking.'”

The Canadian Press adds, ” A member of a Cape Breton environmental group determined to stop oil drilling in Lake Ainslie says the provincial government’s energy policies are ‘ludicrous’. Robert Parkins was one of about six Cape Breton residents who made the four-hour trek to attend a rally in Grand Parade Square Saturday afternoon to oppose hydraulic fracturing and drilling. He’s is a member of Protect Lake Ainslie, a group fighting a decision by the provincial government that allows Petroworth Resources to drill a 1,200-metre test well in the Lake Ainslie region, about 80 kilometres west of Sydney. Parkins, who is also a member of the Margaree Environmental Association, said the group wants to see government stop the oil and gas industry from entering the province until the issue is looked at more thoroughly. …The environmental group has also launched an appeal to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court asking the decision to be quashed.”

And the CBC reports, “About 100 people from across Nova Scotia gathered in Halifax’s Grand Parade Saturday to protest against fracking, a controversial method of extracting gas from the ground. It was part of No Fracking Way! Provincial Day of Action against hydraulic fracturing — known as fracking — organized by members of Occupy N.S. and other environmental groups. Many people came from Lake Ainslie in Cape Breton to take part in the protest and to call on the federal government to impose regulations on the industry.”

To sign our ‘Don’t frack with our water!’ petition – and make a donation to the Council of Canadians national fracking campaign – please go to http://canadians.org/action/2011/fracking.html. For the Council of Canadians campaign web-page on fracking, see http://canadians.org/fracking.