Protesters rally against N.S. budget cuts, call on government to honour Indigenous rights

Hundreds of people demonstrated for Indigenous rights at Nova Scotia Province House.

HALIFAX — Hundreds of people gathered outside the Nova Scotia legislature in Halifax Tuesday afternoon for the “Shoulder to Shoulder” rally, which called on the Progressive Conservative government to honour Indigenous rights and protect the environment.

The event brought together groups from across the province, including members of the Mi’kmaw community, environmental activists and labour groups.

The protesters also oppose grant cuts to cultural programs in last week’s deficit budget.

The Nova Scotia Finance Department has said its plan to reduce the deficit includes pulling grant funding for Mi’kmaq services in the Education Department and cutting the entire grant for Halifax’s Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre.

Facing a $1.2-billion deficit, the Houston government has chosen to reduce or cancel more than 280 grants across several departments, including for scholarship programs, arts funding, African Nova Scotian programs and disability supports.

Premier Tim Houston wasn’t at the legislature on Tuesday as he’s in Toronto attending an international mining conference, where he’s meeting with industry members to encourage private investment and development of critical minerals.

Mi’kmaq rights activist Cheryl Maloney spoke to the crowd outside the legislature, saying the government has to honour Indigenous rights, consult with them, and include them at the table.

“Nothing happens in Nova Scotia without the will of the people and Mi’kmaq rights being met,” said Maloney. “We have to start working together, that’s the only thing that ‘s going to save us, is working together, shoulder to shoulder with all our neighbours.”

The Houston government sees the global demand for critical minerals and believes Nova Scotia has the natural resources to help meet that demand and drive the economy by digging in and developing the province’s natural resources.

“We know we have to grow our economy here in Nova Scotia and we have to do that through our resources,” said Kim Masland, the province’s minister of natural resources.

L’nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin said she didn’t meet with any of the protesters outside but did say her government is meeting with Mi’kmaq leaders and meeting all their consultation requirements as projects come forward.

The province spent $300,000 this year to help develop the mining sector and gave Invest Nova Scotia $1.5 million to encourage development of natural resources like mining and forestry work.

The Houston government has also lifted blanket bans on uranium exploration and hydraulic fracturing of fossil fuels, which has angered environmentalists and some First Nations leaders.

With files from The Canadian Press