Meat and Greet

Living in Annapolis County, one of the many pleasures is to be able to support local businesses. It is a joy to go to the D’Aubin Family Meats market and purchase smoked bacon and fresh-made sausages.

This week, Susan Robinson-Burnie organized a ‘meet and greet’ at Paul and Fiona Hubble’s farm. There were six Annapolis County municipal election candidates from six different districts in Annapolis County. The venue had a number of positives:

• the opportunity to meet neighbours on Hwy # 201.
• to hear questions from like-minded citizens of District #7.
• to recognize that candidate councillors from different districts represent a collective demand for change.

Of course, there were a few things missing, from my perspective.

We are hearing about the prospect of forest spraying on South Mountain. If this goes ahead, it will impact all of the watershed flowing into the Annapolis River.

If the municipal council represents the interests of the citizens of Annapolis County.

1) What is the voice to the provincial government on forestry land-use practices?
2) Does the county have a land-use plan?
3) Do we have a land-use planner?
4) How do the concerns of Annapolis County citizens get voiced at the provincial table? Through Stephen McNeil?
5) Is Annapolis County, the only municipal unit that does not have input into provincial land use plans?

It seems time for citizens to be heard at both the municipal table and the provincial table.

Indeed, do we really need two tables? One balanced on top of the other?
Does that not result in a lack of accountability to the citizens ?

How does it work in other geographies, larger in size, or with a greater population?
Are we suffering from the Nova Scotia factor? Our history, our geography?

Postscript
We recommend the forest walk around First Lake outside of Annapolis Royal.
Park at Highway #101 and enter across the road. Follow the signs.

Acknowledgements
Edward for his graphics. Heather for her concern about the spraying.