Letter to Zach Churchill, MLA.
Just wanted to update you on the recent situation regarding our mink ‘home invasion’ in Lake Annis. I sent an email to all the residents asking if anyone else had seen or had with mink around August 21, and most of the residents reported sightings. We have confirmation of a least six (three shot, two dead on the road, and one whacked with a shovel), so I believe it is safe to assume that there was a substantial number of mink either escaped or released from a farm.
I’ve been in touch with Karen Wong-Petrie at Agriculture, and they are continuing to investigate. Two enforcement officers from Natural Resources also made a visit to the village.
We very much appreciate this interest in this incident, but I’d like to ask you, as Minister of Natural Resources, what the government’s plan is regarding mink farms. Finding a mink in the middle of my living room has reminded me that this issue can’t be ignored. Our neighbourhood association has undertaken water testing in Lake Annis, so we have some idea if and when changes take place. People in neighbouring communities are learning what it’s like when seagulls infest their lake, when the smell from the farm is intolerable, and the flies make enjoying the outdoors impossible.
There is no way that this industry, with such a damaging record of pollution, is this important to Nova Scotia, when we have lakes and rivers to protect, and a resurgent tourist industry to foster and expand.
I look forward to hearing what the Liberal government plans for the mink industry, and urge you to support a moratorium on any new farms.
Many thanks, Susan Brown, Lake Annis