People have forgotten the strength of the Antigonish movement and the amazing power of co-operatives!

Nova Scotia leads english speaking Canada in co-operative development and initiatives.

We have over 400 co-operatives and credit unions in NS. They employ over 7000 people, provide housing to over 6000 people and are worth over 5 billion dollars in assets! That’s huge!

In more than 35 communities, credit union and co-ops are the only service providers, and co-operative have a MUCH higher rate of success then traditional business.

I would love to see the co-op movement strongly embraced in Cape Breton, it’s where it all began for Canada.

Imagine the financial freedom, the independence, and power our communities could have!

Their are a great many of us!

I am writing to commend Neal Livingston for his concise denunciation of the Darrell Dexter government for its “phony propaganda campaign” on behalf of the Irving shipyard in Halifax (Province should be backing arts, not warships, July 25, 2011).

Livingston is right: instead of expensive, bureaucratic boosterism in defence of an outmoded and myopic big industry model of development, Nova Scotia needs to invest in the green, co-operative and creative entrepreneurship of the “new economy.”

And Livingston’s critique can be applied with equal force to the imminent $37-million dredging of Sydney harbour (subsidized almost entirely by federal, provincial and municipal taxpayers), the first stage of an envisaged reindustrialization of the city.

The second stage, predictably, is an exorbitant advertising campaign, enriching numerous consultants and cheerleading groups, painting the picture of a thriving, prosperous megaport, with the inevitably grim consequences of “success” (pollution, hazardous materials, urban sprawl, unaffordable housing, higher crime rates, intrusive security, etc.) carefully airbrushed away.

Precisely because of the devastating failure of capitalism in our region, and the deliberate governmental neglect of alternative, co-operative models, many people are desperate to believe in this one-dimensional vision. But with a naturally deepwater, privately-funded international terminal in Melford, plus significant unused capacity in Halifax, the realistic prospects are far dimmer than the ceaseless spin suggests.

It may be, in fact, that we never recoup the financial costs of dredging the harbour, while the costs to the marine environment, as local fishermen are right to fear, are likely to be severe. While there is considerable hidden unease about the project, open opposition is rare and generally greeted with scorn and hostility. But in all probability, what we are about to witness is an environmental crime, committed in pursuit of an economic illusion: a false, not a new, dawn.

I just took a quick peek at the Entertainment section, and was briefly thrown off by the events being ordered by descending date. Was that deliberate?

I believe that every man and woman in Cape Breton, and the world, should have the opportunity for well-paying, meaningful employment, but we should be focused on building a strong local economy founded on sustainability, with limits dictated by our fair share of available resources. We should put effort into supporting local business, securing our food and energy supply, and increasing the efficiency of our homes and businesses. These endeavours alone would provide many jobs on our island; possibly rivaling the forecasted numbers of the port.

We live in an economically depressed region, and to rally against the construction of the container port and the employment it will provide, without providing alternatives, would be wrong in my point of view. However, to not consider more sustainable alternatives, and put some time and effort into finding more sustainable solutions for our island’s future, could be a very expensive, highly-visible, long-lasting mistake. There are no guarantees with this venture, and it’s a lot of eggs to put in one basket.

The construction of a new container port, and ports in general, signifies an increase in global trade. This is a step backwards in our fight to protect the environment and pass on a hospitable planet to future generations. We have been polluting our water and air, degrading our soil, and creating mountains of waste for much too long. If we were to take stock of our available resources and divide them equally between all people on this planet, we would find that we are living far beyond our means. Our unsustainable western consumer culture comes at the expense of other populations and the planet we live on. It is the driving force behind many violent atrocities and recent environmental catastrophes in the world. We have been bombarded with media for generations that tells us we need to have and to own more and more. We have been taught in schools and our communities for decades that whoever has the most wins. Both not true.

We actually need very little, and many of the happiest cultures around the world are testament to this. We need food, clothing, shelter, and community; all of which we can provide sustainably. We must learn to live with less. Resources are finite and we are already at the breaking point. As developing nations grow and increasingly transition toward western values, things will get worse. We run the risk of running out of food and water in our quest to obtain material wealth. Capitalism has its limits and we are approaching them fast.

If we have exhausted all alternatives to a container port and reached the end of the debate, I would urge the community to step up and get involved. No one but ourselves will look out for our interests. The planning, construction, and operation, if left to outside organizations, will be driven by profit margins alone; environmental and social concerns will be met with the minimum adherence required. Why would we allow the corporate elite to get richer at the expense of our beautiful harbour and incredible island community. Now is the chance to take ownership, write the rulebook, and become the watchdog. An island of planners are better than a handful, and with careful thought, transparency, and eagerness to rise above the status quo, we should be able to design, build and operate the most sustainable port in the world. We have the opportunity to set a new standard and become a global example of commitment to excellence. Let us not judge our success by quarterly profits, but by our unwavering integrity and strength of community.