On another mission!
The Pitu’paq partnership will be making an even bigger presence at the annual Chapel Island Mission this year. The five Unama’ki communities are providing student teams, and a dedicated Mission team has been hired under Nova Scotia Youth Corps program. Tobias Doucette and Eddie Doucette are back again this year, joined by new members Emma...
Pitu’paq update
The Pitu’paq partnership continues to work diligently on issues of environmental concern. Of increasing interest to the partnership is the health of freshwater systems. Although our planet is covered with water over ¾ of its surface area, less than 1% of that water is available to us in the form of accessible fresh water. As...
Hydro project raising concerns
Potlotek Elders say that if an ambitious hydropower plant proceeds, it will affect a traditional eel fishing area for this First Nation community. Cape Breton Explorations Ltd.’s plan to erect up to 44 wind turbines has passed the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s zoning process. This approval includes pumping water from Lake Uist to a reservoir...
How the Lakes are doing
Malfunctioning private septic systems, inadequate community sewage systems, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, boating sewage, and dangerous chemicals all contribute to problems with water quality in the Bras d’Or Lakes. UINR, along with the Bras d’Or Lakes Collaborative Environmental Planning Initiative, have published The State of the Bras d’Or Marine Environmental Water Quality Background Report. The Report...
Mission possible
What a difference a few weeks can make! Until this year, the annual St Anne’s Mission resulted in mountains of garbage and complaints about sewage being dumped in the Lakes. This year, things were different. Thanks to the far-sighted work of Pitu’paq, the unique group of First Nations, municipal governments and their federal and provincial...
On a mission
Every year, on the last weekend in July, thousands of people gather on Chapel Island at Saint Anne’s Mission–the longest continuous Mission in Canada. In addition to its religious importance, the Mission is a place where people gather to share news with other Mi’kmaq from around the region. Over four thousand people are expected to...
Two-eyed seeing
Cape Breton University was the host for a full-day workshop on two-eyed seeing in May and UINR was a major contributer for the event. Clifford Paul was the day’s MC and he also gave a presentation on Indigenous Science. Albert Marshall gave a spirited presentation on two-eyed seeing from the perspective of a Mi’kmaq Elder...
CEPI communications
www.brasdorcepi.ca is the place to go to learn about the Bras d’Or Lakes Collaborative Environmental Planning Initiative. There you can learn about the Lakes, contribute to the development and assist in the implementation of a management plan for the Bras d’Or Lakes and surrounding watershed. The website is new and CEPI is working on it...
A big day for the Bras d’Or!
The Senior Council meeting for the Bras d’Or Lakes Collaborative Environmental Planning Initiative (CEPI) held its annual meeting in Eskasoni on 14 November. Making this meeting even more special was the presentation of framed copies of the Bras d’Or Lakes Charter. The Charter demonstrates the commitment of CEPI partners to work towards developing and implementing...
CEPI Update
Here’s the latest news from the Bras d’Or Lakes Collaborative Planning Initiative (CEPI): The Steering Committee recently accepted a framework document which provides a roadmap for the development of the overall environmental management plan for the Bras d’Or Lakes. The management plan will have two levels, one that encompasses the entire Bras d’Or Lakes, and...
Pitu’paq Update
The Upcoming Chapel Island Mission is the hot button topic with Pitu’paq this spring. From bottled water to port-a-potties, the environmental issues for the tiny island and the surrounding Bras d’Or Lakes are being addressed. Pitu’paq deals with the most immediate concerns of this year’s Mission while planning for a future where there will be...
Greening Potlotek
Chief Wilbert Marshall and Chief Executive Officer Lindsay Marshall of Potlotek First Nations are working on an ambitious plan to put Potlotek on the Green map! And they don’t plan to stop there. They intend to share their green vision with other Mi’kmaq communities and build their capacity to export their services and expertise. The...