To: Ministers of Agriculture and Environment, Linda, Vimy, Bonnie, Minh, and Brett From: John Sollows, Meeting Chair
Date: February 27,2012
Attached are the finalized notes taken from our public meeting on the second draft of the Fur Industry Regulations, held in Carleton, Yarmouth County the afternoon of Thursday, February 23. Feb23FurNotes pertains. I received a few additional points and thoughts after I circulated the draft and have tried to incorporate those adequately in the attachment, but no objections were made to the initial draft.
The improvements to the regulations, from the point of view of the environment and the general public, are appreciated, but the backstepping on other issues is of very grave concern, and must be emphasized. The right to earn a living must be limited by the obligation to be a good neighbour, and the draft regulations as they currently stand have opened up some serious loopholes which could adversely affect the environment and the health of rural Nova Scotians. As a government policy, protection of public health must trump economic development; the current version of the draft regulations fail, in that regard.
The notes are distributed here, along with notes from the Susuki Foundation that was a virtual participant in the process. Click on image and logo below to access the full texts.
