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Volume 2 Issue 7 November 2015

A New Birches?
Page 3
Refugees on Eastern Shore
Page 4
Musq. Hbr Business Boom
Pages 8 & 9
Opinion & Editorial
Page 13
Community Events
Page 15
And Much more...
Pumpkins
Photo
By Linda
By Gina
Monk
DunnFahie

www.easternshorecooperator.ca

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Surfs Up

Eastern Shore District High School newly renovated gym to

open soon

Musquodoboit Harbour eatery scene is booming with Women

entrepreneurs leading the way

Seven Lakes in Porters Lake now has rental units

Trudeaumania Version 2015

Surfs Down

Will there be a Birches anymore?

Too many deadly cars accidents on the #7 and 107

How many more major morning traffic delays will the MacKay
bridge construction cause?

Why are a lot of the top management leaving HRM suddenly?

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News

Are the Liberals Going to Privatize The Birches?

By Richard Bell
Information has come to light in the last two weeks of
October showing that the provincial government is considering a proposal that could allow one of the countrys giant for-profit nursing home corporations to take
over control of The Birches Home for Special Care.
Two years ago, then-NDP Premier Darrell Dexter announced that the government was planning to replace
the current building housing The Birches. At the time of
Dexters 2013 announcement, the board of directors
had been asking the province for more than nine years
to fund a new building to replace the existing one.
During the 2013 provincial campaign, the Liberals indicated that they would honor the NDPs promise for a
new building. But month after month dragged by without any action. Finally the Minister of Health and Wellness, Leo Glavine, paid a visit to The Birches in company with MLA Kevin Murphy.
At the October 2015 meeting of the Musquodoboit
Harbour & Area Chamber of Commerce & Civic Affairs,
Birches board chair Elliott Sutow surprised the room
with his disclosure of Glavines plans for The Birches.
Instead of going ahead with replacing the building as
the NDP had promised, Glavin told Sutow that the Liberals would issue a Request for Proposal (RFP), not only
to build a new building, but also to operate the new
facility. Such an RFP would force the operators of The
Birches into a bidding war against deep-pocketed national for-profit nursing home corporations.
And to make matters worse, the fate of The Birches is
also ensnared in the ongoing dispute surrounding MLA
Kevin Murphys controversial proposal to include any
new nursing home building in his campus concept.
Murphy kick-started support for his concept by convening a private meeting in the fall of 2014. The group that
evolved from this first meeting is now a society, the
Community Campus Vision Association (CCVA), which
registered with Joint Stocks in March 2015.
At CCVAs first public sometimes contentious public
meeting at Gaetz Brook Junior High on October 28,
2015, CCVA told the audience that the society was in
favour of having the RFP for The Birches include a
clause that would give preference to any applicant that
would locate the facility on a 80-acre or bigger site that
could accommodate the other facilities that CCVA
would like to see built as an integrated campus.
There were questions about whether such a clause
would further complicate efforts to replace the existing
building, and further tilt the playing field towards outside corporations with the funds to take on the larger
land acquisition.

Murphy took the floor at the

very end of the meeting, and
at first appeared to be trying
to put some distance between himself and the possibility of a delay that could be
caused if there was a
campus clause in the RFP.
The one thing I want to
make clear is I am in no uncertain terms as the MLA
going to jeopardize the request for proposals for a
new seniors facility, Murphy began. That is a standalone piece at the moment.
But without a pause, he immediately swung back to
supporting a campus
clause in the provinces RFP.
We are hoping, as the chair
of this committee pointed
out, that there will be some
clause in there that would
give consideration to the
possibility of a campus,
Murphy said.
The fate of The Birches is
now up to Glavine. Issuing
an RFP that would allow the
passage of The Birches into the hands of a profitmaking corporation is in keeping with the Liberals controversial exploration of the possibility of privatizing
the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Land Registry, and
the Registry of Joint Stocks. There has been some public protest about privatizing these services.
In the meantime, people can share their concerns
about the still-to-be-issued Birches RFP by contacting
Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine at (toll-free
in Nova Scotia) 1-800-387-6665.

Content

Page

News.......................................................3 & 4
Healthy Living................................................5
Around Town.................................................6
Local Business..............................................................8 & 9
Community...............10
Community Life.................11
Councillors November Communiqu.....................12
Opinion & Editorial. ...........13
Art Scene...............14

Easternshorecooperator.ca

November Events PIN IT Up ......................................15

News

www.easternshorecooperator.ca

New Group Forms to Bring Refugees to the Shore

By Richard Bell
As anyone who remembers their tenure as the owners
of the Salmon River Inn, Musquodoboit Harbours Adrien
Blanchette and Elisabeth Schwarzer know how to get
things done.
So its not surprising to find them taking the lead to navigate through the bureaucratic hoops to start bringing
refugees from the Middle East and Africa to the Easter
Shore.
As the refugee crisis grew this summer, Schwarzers twin
sister in Bonn, Germany, was providing them with eyewitness updates on how the people of Germany were
mobilizing to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees.
German churches were taking a leading role.
I looked around Nova Scotia to see what the churches
here were doing, Blanchette said. And when it looked
like no one was doing anything, I went to my pastor at
St. Philip Neri, Father Toochukwu. He agreed we should
do something, and asked me if I was willing to lead the
effort.
Blanchette worked fast, attending an Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) workshop on
how to sponsor refugees, while mastering the blizzard
of bureaucratic immigration words and acronyms.
He also learned about the financial requirements for
sponsorship. To bring a family of 4 in, you need to raise
$29,700, Blanchette said. The money pays for rent,
clothing, furniture, getting them set up for their first
year. Refugees become permanent residents with full
medical care and all the other rights of citizens except
voting.
Blanchette got his parish council on board with what he
calls a hard-hitting message. I told them you have to
remember that Jesus himself was a refugee, he said.
Shortly after he was born his family had to flee because
the brutal regime in power wanted to kill him.
Blanchette quickly discovered that the quickest way for a
group to become a refugee sponsor was to work with an
organization that was already a Sponsorship Agreement
Holder (SAH, pronounced saw.) The Archdiocese of
Halifax Yarmouth was already a SAH. By agreeing to take
the parish group under its wing as a Constituent Group
(CG), the Archdiocese could significantly speed up the
process because the Archdiocese would back up the CG
financially.

In seeking supporters, Blanchette kept running into people who were afraid that admitting refugees would compromise the countrys security. They see these crowds
of people arriving off boats in Europe, and theyre worried that these guys with bombs in their pants are going
to slip through, he said. But the families whore coming in have been vetted repeatedly.
There is a two-step screening process to determine if a
person is a genuine refugee. The United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has to certify a person as a genuine refugee. Then the Canadian Immigration Services goes through its own certification process.
There were also concerns about whether fundraising for
refugee sponsorships would be a burden for churches
that are sometimes struggling just to raise the money to
keep their doors open. Blanchette is an optimist: I think
we can do both. Maybe not easily, but with hard work
and determination, we can bring people here.

If youd like to know more about this local effort, there

will be a public meeting at 2 pm on November 8 at St.
Philip Neri in Musquodoboit Harbour with a presentation and questions and answers. Blanchette is available
to speak with anyone whod like to talk about forming a
group. He and his wife have started a blog (St. Philip Neri
Musquodoboit Harbour Refugee Sponsorship Committee) with information about whats happening locally.
https://stphilipnerirefugeecommittee.wordpress.com

The website for the federal Canadian Immigration and

Citizenship is at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp
The website for the Immigration Services Association of
Nova Scotia (ISANS) is at:
http://www.isans.ca

CLOSING THE COTTAGE

By: Maelissa Watson
It is the waning of the year. Are cottage owners in a contemplative mood? Do we think of the 1922 movie
Waldens Pond based on the Henry Thoreau book published in 1854? Or the 1992 movie A River Ran
Through It, directed and narrated by Robert Redford, based on the short story by Norman McLean?
On The Eastern Shore, cottage life is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. Cottage life begins in the spring, Easter or Passover, and culminates at Thanksgiving. It is a relaxed Spartan life on the
ocean, a lake, or in the woods. It is an escape from bustling city traffic and noise. Autumn is a pageant of dramatic contrast between the stark evergreen spruce and the breathtaking orange glow of the maples. The
days are getting shorter and cooler.
Have you noticed social activities are coming to a close too, especially all the delicious church suppers so well
attended by cottagers from nearby and from away."? Canoes and boats are stored for another season. The
woodsheds are filled to capacity for winter fires. It is no longer necessary to mow the grass, and the hay is
saved for those with cows and cattle. Blackberries and blueberries are now jam. The apples are picked, except by those cottagers who leave them for wildlife. The squirrels have squirreled away their nuts--hopefully
not in your attic. Some wild rose hips are picked, and gourmet rose hip jelly is made, keeping alive the heritage of the early Arcadians. The migratory birds have flown south. The Thanksgiving feast marks the close of
the season.
Before winterizing the cottage, hanging baskets and anything else that could become projectiles during winter storms are removed. Patio tables, chairs and umbrellas come indoors. The well pump is turned off, the
water heater and pipes are drained. Any food source that might attract field mice disappears. The refrigerator is cleaned out and lined with newspaper and baking soda, and all appliances are unplugged.
The final act is to spill the plumbing anti-freeze into the bathtub, washbasin, and shower, and then flush it
through the toilet. Closing up the cottage is more difficult than it was a century ago, when there was no indoor plumbing or electricity. In those days, the cottage was the only dwelling. Residents then cut frozen ice
from the lakes, stored it in icehouses, periodically hauling some to Halifax for shipping down south to cities
like New Orleans. The old icehouses are gone, and today we have inherited the ice tongs.
The hardest emotion in closing up the cottage is saying goodbye to friends and neighbors. As we say farewell,
we are reminded of our own mortality, especially for people from away. Will they be coming back? Will our
neighbors and friends still be here next year? These are questions beyond the ambit of mortal man.

Health Living

Embodying Emotional Intelligence

By Bethanna Sullivan
Emotional intelligence is about recognizing your emotions, understanding what they're telling you, and realizing how your emotions influence behaviour and affect
people around you.
When I was a little girl, around eight or so, I tried on a
new behaviour, one I witnessed in my little sister who is
three years younger than me. She had tantrums especially around food she didn't want to eat; she would kick
and scream and fall to the floor emotionally bereft when
forced to eat peas of all things. Of course it garnered
much laughter and joking from her several other older
brother and sisters and it achieved her purpose. But I
was amazed, horrified and envious of such behaviour. So
one day something happened at dinner I didn't like, I
acted out and was sent to the girls room. When I got
upstairs I slammed the door and proceeded to kick it and
scream loudly. I could hear them downstairs going on
with dinner and ignoring me. Of course I was outraged
that my tantrum didn't garner the same effect. It was
quick and painful lesson in learning about emotional differences and what worked or didn't for me. In a family of
eight children and two adults learning about feelings and
behaviour was an ongoing adventure of risk, reward and
loss.

experience of how you learned about feelings; what

emotions stand out for you? The four main categories of
feelings have been simplified as 'mad, sad, glad and
bad". Think about how each was expressed in your family, what was allowed, what was heard, what was
shamed or ridiculed or just ignored? Think about body
language, what facial expressions do you remember,
what gestures, what actions were used that embodied
feeling behaviour? Are there gender norms that affect
whether or not you are comfortable with some emotions?
Along with familial norms there are cultural norms that
influenced the development of emotional intelligence.
For example in our Irish Canadian family there was public behaviour and private behaviour. So at home we
could fight and be loud but in the public domain of
school and church the expectation was to be seen and
not heard. Some cultures find eye contact an intrusion,
the english have longed been known for their 'stiff upper
lip' behaviour. Friends and students have shared their
stories of coming from a culture where touch and expressiveness is the norm and finding themselves out of
sync with other cultural groups. What are your stories of
cultural emotional intelligences?

Part of emotional intelligence is emotional vocabulary.

Here is a simple exercise you can do at home, alone,
with your partner, with your children or with friends.
Take a sheet of paper and write at the top the four feeling words-Mad, Sad, Glad, Bad. Under each word write a
list of at least 5 words that express variations of that
word. Give yourself five minutes to do this. Then go to
the following website to learn more words. https://
childrenscenter.sa.ucsb.edu/CMSMedia/Documents/
ParentSupport/FeelingWords.pdf
The Centre for Nonviolent Communication offers another list of feeling words to help you expand your feeling vocabulary.
https://www.cnvc.org/sites/default/files/
feelings_inventory_0.pdf
Please feel free to send comments, questions, stories of
your experience to the online site:
http://www.easternshorecooperator.ca/contact-us.php
The next article will focus on emotional intelligence and
interpersonal skills.

Take a few minutes and reflect back on your own

Bethana Sullivan is as teacher, a healer and psychotherapist who has worked with men, women, families, and groups in many settings: private practice
for 30 years, clinical settings such as addiction centres and community mental health clinics. She is a
certified therapist, mediation and conflict facilitator,
and workshop and therapeutic group facilitator.
Group dynamics, mediation and conflict, interpersonal communication and earth based spiritual
practices are the focus of her teaching. She currently
teaches part-time at MSVU.

Around Town
Unbelievable Bowling in
Musquodoboit Harbour
As youre driving east from Musquodoboit Harbour, keep
your eyes open and youll see some of the best graffiti in all of
metro Halifax, prominently displayed on an equally unlikely
spotthe local bowling alley, Unbowlievable Lanes.
We love the graffiti on the building, said Patricia. We have
everything from Lightning McQueen to Freddie Flintstone.
We hired Despicable Art, a very talented group from all over
the Maritimes. There were 9 artists in all who decorated our
building, a very nice and respectable group of young men.
The colourful art is just one of the many improvements that
Ronnie and Patricia have made since they took the plunge
and brought the facility back into operation. Theres a new
roof, new carpet, new picnic tables, and new heat pumps to
keep the place cool in the summer.
Bowling has been declining across the province, and the
Poans are dedicated to working with other alleys to grow the
sport across all age groups. We have a fantastic youth league
that Heather Prowse runs, said Patricia. Shes been doing it
for years, and really knows about Atlantic Youth Bowling. Our
youth league has children starting as young as 3 years old and
goes right up until they are 19 years old! If you are looking
for an inexpensive, friendly sport for your kids and want them
to not have to sit on the bench, this is the sport for
them! They will make lifelong friends that they will most
likely bowl with leagues or in tournaments for the rest of
their lives.

Graffiti Art by Despicable Art at Unbelievable

Bowling Alley in Musquodoboit Harbour.
Photos By Julie

The Tangier Gold Mines Historical Society

is looking for new members so that the
work of keeping up our wonderful tourist
attraction, the Prince Alfred Arch, can
continue to be an important part of the
history of the Eastern Shore. If you are
interested in joining the society the present members would be delighted to hear
from you. Call Wayne at 902-772-2466
for more information. Meetings are held
on the second Monday of every month at
members homes.

Community
Young Again on Election Night
By Wyn Jones
It hardly seems that long ago. The first warmth of an
early spring and as a young landed immigrant from the
UK, I had arrived in the big TO, which was not so big then
of course. I could not fathom the ongoing excitement
from an ice hockey competition taking place in an old
arena downtown. It seemed as if the whole town, the
whole country in fact, had ceased to function because of
that game. Little did I know then that the Leafs were actually winning the Stanley, something that has not happened since.
It took a while to settle into my newly adopted country.
My interest was then, and has always been, in politics.
Diefenbaker was unceremoniously dumped that summer
and replaced with a tall, awkward and endearing man
who spoke wisely but haltingly and who came from a far
-off province on the shores of the Atlantic. But he and
his colleagues were Progressive Conservatives, which
when you think about it is a bit of an oxymoron.
Then there was the other party, which was of greater
interest for me. The Prime Minister was a Nobel Laureate and he governed with a slim minority in which one
personality seemed to stand apart. This man looked
much younger than his age, and he was the driving force
in the party for change. He was hip, he was cool, and his
fine intellect shone through his complete lack of stuffiness. And of course the women loved him. He was different, and his message was mesmerizing. He could reject
off hand all the pettiness of retail politics and get away
with it without losing his sense of style, place and purpose. He was the now and the future that we all were
searching for.
Within a year he was Prime Minister, leading a large majority in Parliament. I can remember sitting up late in a
tiny furnished apartment, glued to a small black and
white TV, watching the election returns and being filled
with the excitement of the time. He and us, we were
new, we were the future of Canada, we could do great
things, ready for the changing world and new decade

ahead.
A lot of political water has flowed under the bridge since
those heady days. But I remember the time fondly, even
if those memories are tinged with a little cynicism.
For a lot of Canadians, the politics of the past decade
have been a time of dullnessa quarrelsome, divisive
time of petty hatreds and ideological nit picking. A great
many of us have been quietly nursing distaste for the
divisiveness of our governance. Our country seemed at
times to have lost its place in the world.
Then election night. Pow !!!!.... just like that. As the
late and much lamented Yogi Berra once said, Dj vu
all over again! We spoke. We spoke with a clarity that
should fill Canadians with pride
in who we are. The spirit of that
cool dude from that time past
came backin a very different
persona perhaps, with a somewhat different voice and a different agenda, but with all the
passion of youth, change, and
hope for a better way.
Last night I was quite young
again. And it felt really, really
good.

Submissions
Deadline is
November 15
[email protected]

Local Business

www.easternshorecooperator.ca

Restaurant Renaissance in Musquodoboit Harbour

By Richard Bell
Choices for hungry people in Musquodoboit Harbour have been expanding dramatically. The owners of the four new eateries profiled in this piece are all women: some
just out of school, some with grown children, but all equally energetic, determined, and excited by their visions. Standing behind them are spouses, parents, grandparents,
children, and friends, all pitching in to get them through the rigors all start-ups go through, even the dread flour shower. There are a number of firsts: to begin with,
theres breakfast! And the only espresso machine along Route 7 past Dartmouth. Time to start eating and support local businesses!

Well & Good: Smoothies

Uprooted Market & Caf

Fresh produce and espresso too!
Thanksgiving weekend a year ago,
Emma Kiley was
walking on the
beach with a friend,
talking about their
lives, about wanting
to live on the Eastern Shore, about
having trouble finding work in her field
of sustainability and
food.

Amy Thistle (owner)

What do you do if youve got a Bachelor of Science in
Nutrition from Mount Saint Vincent University, want to
do nutrition-related work, and love living on the Eastern Shore?
For Amy Thistle, the answer was simple: Smoothies.
Id never been in business before, Thistle said. I love
smoothies! Theyre healthy, theyre different.
She started planning Well & Good in September, 2014.
She wrote a business plan, and rented the building at
11 East Petpeswick Road in January, 2015. Getting the
space ready was tougher than she had planned: My
husband, whos in the Navy, got deployed from midDecember 2014 until mid-July on a peacekeeping mission in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, so he
wasnt here.
Thistles business combines income streams. Reflexologist Ginny Lewis practices there once a week, and Thistle rents space out for workshops, classes, and events.
People have taught Qigong, infant massage, jewelry
making, even some outdoor yoga in the backyard this
summer, Thistle said.
Smoothies are always available. This summer she offered salads made with local produce. And she makes
hummus, trail mix, and fruit-based energy bites.
My focus is on local products, Thistle said. Ive got
loose leaf teas from Moon Bay, and Soap Company of
Nova Scotia soap, candles, laundry powder, and bath
products.
Well & Good, 889-9004
11 East Petpeswick Road, Musquodoboit Harbour

I went home, and

was making a list
when the idea just
popped into my head, Kiley said. This space was part
of the inspiration. As soon as I thought of the idea, I
knew exactly where it was going to be. Kiley had never
been in business before, so she wrote up a business
plan for offering soup, sandwiches, fresh produce, and
coffee (with the only espresso machine along Route 7
after Dartmouth!)

Emma Kiley (owner)

Harbour House Caf

Home cooking for Everyone

Ella Stevens (L) (owner ) &

Angela Lyons (R)

I make everything at Harbour

House, said
owner Ella Stevens. I can
teach till the
cows come
home, it just
doesnt get
done my way.

Stevens took
over the home
of the former Bears Den Caf in December, 2014.
I stayed at home for 30 years to focus on raising my
four kids, Stevens said, although I did put in some
time as a short-order cook, managed a video store, and
worked as a school custodian. But with kids gone, who
better to work for than myself?
Stevens gets help from her family. My three girls work
here part time, she said, but my son stays away. My
husband tries to help. Hes a good maintenance guy,
but sometimes he gets underfoot!

Kiley graduated from Dalhousie in 2012 with a Bachelor

of Science double major in environmental science and
Environment, Sustainability & Society. My Mom always liked to cook, and I grew up cooking with her. I
did more cooking at university. And I spent a year in
Ireland, and learned about food culture there.

Running a small restaurant is a never-ending learning

experience. We stayed open the whole winter, which
may be different this year, Stevens said. But the locals have been so darn good to me. Seniors are a huge
part of our clientele. I would feel bad about not being
here at suppertime.

While she was planning her shop, Kiley met her boyfriend, Ryan Murphy, who runs Bread & Better Small
Business Solutions. Murphys parents own Murphys
Camping on the Ocean, so he contributed some seat-of
-the-pants business experience together with good
marketing advice.

Stevens friends pushed her to name the restaurant

after herself, but she took a longer view. I have a fiveyear plan to build a really good restaurant, Stevens
said. Harbour House Caf will be easier to sell than
Ellas if Im not going to be doing all the cooking anymore! In the meantime, Im truly enjoying the place,
and the pacing is good.

Kiley reports that she was surprised (and pleased) by

how fast business developed: Were ahead of my business plan!
Uprooted Caf & Market, 889-9189
7992 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour

Harbour House Caf, 889-3200

7955 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour

Local Business

Bakers Eats and Treats - Breakfast, Burgers, and Beyond

You can now get a real breakfast in
Musquodoboit Harbour! The opening of
Bakers Eats and Treats fills in a critical gap
for early morning eaters.
Tammy Baker has lots of experience cooking.
In fact, she was working at Rowlings Take
Out across the street when she decided to
take over the former Masons.

Jessica slicing peppers at Bakers

There was a lot of cleaning up to do, so it

helped that Bakers husband owns a cleaning
service, Atlantic Evershine Cleaners. We put
in 900 hours cleaning, said Baker. And
were almost done fixing up the threebedroom apartment upstairs. Its got a really
nice view of the train station across the
street.

Baker misjudged how fast business would pick up. We opened up, and
WHAMMO!, people were pouring in, Baker said. Baker pitches for a womens slopitch softball team. I called the Hustlers, and all my ball girls came in, Baker said.
I was just overwhelmed by all the help. And Paul Nicholl at Dobbits has been
great teaching us all about dough.
Baker laughed about her first flour shower. Someone changed the speed on the
dough machine, Baker said, so when we turned it on, it sprayed flour all over
everything. We were all dusted white from top to bottom!
In addition to breakfast, Baker sells pizza, donairs, and sandwiches. Bakers Burgers are our biggest seller, with my own special sauce, Baker said.
Bakers Eats and Treats, 7898 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour, 889-2555

Private Nathan
Lloyd Smith,
age 26 years,
killed
April 17, 2002 in
Kandahar
Afghanistan.

Gunner William
Stanley Daye from
Popes Harbour who
perished July 13, 1944
in the second World
War in France at the
age of 38 years.

Four brothers served in the two World

Wars. Three of the brothers came home.
Maxwell Daye (middle) served in WW2
Clive Daye (left) served in WW1
Arthur Daye (no pic) served in WW2

Private Roy Henry Prescott Monk ( born December 25,1914) from

East Ship Harbour. He
served in the army with
the West Nova Scotia
Regiment in Europe,
and paid the Supreme
Sacrifice during World
War II. He was killed
May 17, 1944 in Italy,
and is buried at the
Cassino War Cemetery.
(120 Km from Rome)

10

Community Life

Saint Barnabas Anglican Church Variety Show

By Beth McAra - Crawford
Every year the Saint Barnabas Anglican Church Willing
Workers organize a Variety Show with space generously provided by the Chezzetcook Lions Club. This
past October 18th was no exceptionand what a
show!! Now, its time to send out heartfelt thank you
and extend a challenge.
Thank You
Eastern Ridge: (house band) Emily Bellefontaine (vocals/
guitar), Johnny Richards (guitar/Dobro), Bob McFarlane
(fiddle/guitar), Duckie Fitzgerald (bass), & Jeff Thornhill
(banjo). One the songs played: Plant Some Flowers.
Great camaraderie, professional guidance and technical
know-how.
The Seastrings: This predominately family band consists
of Betty Neiforth (Momorgan), Diane Hicks
(daughterfiddle), Troy Hicks (Dianes sonbass guitar), Lance Neiforth (Bettys songuitar) and one honourary family member, Rod Eastman (guitar). Led by
Dianes fiddle, toes were a tappin.
Fulton Bayers & Friends: Wife June included a fun singa-long tune: Teddy Bear. Fulton on guitar regaled everyone with what he called Country Hick/Classic Country

ranging from Merle Haggard to Charlie Pride. Friend

Peter took us into intermission with a spirited fiddle
tune.
Intermission was time for the 50/50 draw (winner
Jeanne Bonn) and for Auctioneer Murray Conrod to get
busy. Homemade goodies got a bidding war happening.
Phyllis Keizers coconut cream pie was a real favourite.
However, others were able to win their favourites too
chocolate layer cake, Halloween cake, pecan pie, bumble berry pie and apple crisp.
Bernadette Boland started her set right after the intermission. Alone with her guitar Bernadette was an accomplished songstress singing Bette Midlers Wind Beneath My Wings, Lenny Gallants Open Window and a
Rita McNeil sing-a-long favourite, A Working Man I Am.
David Gaetzlast but certainly not least!along with
the tuneful support of Russell Mannette and Jeff Thornhill brought the show to a close. David is a fiddle player
who sits down and takes his shoes offbecause he
stomps while he playsall part of a unique sound. Every
tune came with a taleSweet Bunch of Daisies that had
special memories of Davids mom & an old favourite,
You Are My Sunshine got everyone singing and smiling.
Thanks also go to Anne and Graham Gaetz who welcomed people as they arrived, Bruce Conrod sold 50/50
tickets, and Jeanne Bonn sold tickets on an assortment
of prizes handcrafted by Brenda Cook and Dora Crawford.
The Willing Workers need a thank you too: Phyllis
Keizer (President), Marion Gibbons, Lillian Anderson,
Dora Crawford, Jeanne Bonn and Brenda Cook. Im the
newest member and it was my job to act as MC. Unfortunately, Max White who is the usual MC, was unable to
be there. His were big shoes to fill and he was certainly
missed.
Next year lets make the Variety Show even better so
more people in our community can get to know one another and have a good time. Any musicians who would
like to share their talents? Be part of the audience!
Lets work together to make our community happier and
stronger. Are YOU up to the challenge?
Beth McAra - Crawford is a member of St Barnabas Anglican Church in Head Chezzetcook

www.easternshorecooperator.ca

Critics Claim Fish-Farm

Regulations Are Incomplete
Nova Scotias new regulations of open-pen fish farming have
disappointed many groups that were hoping for the full-scale
adoption of the recommendations of the Doelle-Lahey report
in 2014. The authors of this report presented their recommendations as a package. They specifically cautioned against the
possibility that the government would weaken the regulatory
framework by cherry-picking the recommendations.
But critics of the new regulations have noted that the Liberal
government has done exactly what Doelle-Lahey warned
them not to do, ignoring some of the most important of the
Doelle-Lahey proposals.
The Association for the Preservation of the Eastern Shore
(APES) played a critical role in forcing the province to adopt a
moratorium on issuing new fish farm licenses until new regulations were written. In response to the new regulations, APES
spokesperson Wendy Watson Smith issued the following
statement:
The provincial government cannot continue to say that the
recently presented aquaculture regulations, as they refer to
ocean based salmon/trout feedlots, reflect the implementation of the Doelle-Lahey report. The Doelle-Lahey report was a
comprehensive report that was built with extensive input of
all parties affected by this industry.
From the start of the writing of these regulations the spirit of
the Doelle-Lahey report has not been implemented. The
Doelle-Lahey report called for an ongoing Regulatory Advisory
Committee that included coastal communities. Coastal communities are not represented on this committee. We are the
people who have to live with the destructive nature of this
industry. We are the communities who are left with dead
zones in our harbours, and whose lobster and wild catch fishery is displaced. The few, part-time, low paid jobs are all that
we can expect from this industry. Our communities have a
vision of development that includes the lucrative lobster and
shellfish fishery and tourism that are dependent on a pristine
environment.
The minister states that there is more transparency in the new
regulations, but the requirement for a public meeting is the
same as the old regulations whereby a proponent, along with
the government come in and tell us what they are going to
do. This is not what we consider to be meaningful consultation.
The new regulations have missed the basic premise that there
had to be a fundamental overhaul of the regulations that took
the concerns of citizens at face value.
In the Doelle-Lahey proposals, there was the ability for communities to have input into the licensing, enforcement, and
monitoring process, including revocation of leases. Communities would have been part of the assessment of whether there
were net community socio-economic benefits from the proposed operation. This is not the case in the governments
new regulations. In the Doelle-Lahey proposal there was to be
an assessment of the applied for site that was to be much like
an environmental impact study. This is missing.
The new regulations are based on the industry regulating itself, and communities will still be in the dark when it comes to
disease outbreaks, medications and antibiotics used, escapees
of feedlot salmon into the wild, and stocking densities.
Taxpayers in our communities will still be heavily subsidizing
an industry that destroys our harbours, threatens the lobster
and wild catch industry, tourism and our clean waters.
Wendy Watson Smith, spokesperson
Association for the Preservation of the Eastern Shore

Community Life

11

House Party Audiences Seed Jim Henmans New CD

By Richard Bell
You cant teach an old dog new tricks, but dont say that
around Musquodoboit Harbours long-time songwriter and
performer Jim Henman. Hes about to release a new 10song CD that he says is the first of its kind. Theres never
been a CD done this way.
Henman was an original member of the popular band April
Wine, for which he received a Juno award in 2010. But he
never liked the big-time music business that much, and for
the last 10 years, has focused on house concerts.

Henmans musical breakthrough came to him about 18

months ago. Ive always looked for ways to engage the
audience more, giving percussion instructions, clapping
hands, whistling along, Henman said. And this idea came
to me: why if I try writing a song with my audience?
Henman described his method for collaborative musical
brainstorming. I walk into the house, and I look around
for a popular magazine, like Time, nothing too tough,
and I flip through and pick out five phrases that just hit
me, Henman explained, something thats got some
possibility, maybe some hidden meaning.
Later on during the concert, he asks the audience to
vote on which one of the five phrases they like best as
a song title.
Then I pass around my song-writing notebook, and
ask people to write down whatever they associate with
the title, Henman said. I may only use a word or two
from what people write, but their ideas are like seeds.
Thats why I called my new CD, House Plants.
This process opens me up to a whole different direction in my songwriting, Henman said. I end up with
songs I would never have written on my own. And I
usually have no idea what Im going to write about
when I first get home with a new title and my seeds.
Take the title that one group picked, You Are in My
Pajamas. I ended up with a love story about a young
couple who meet in a storm, Henman said. They end
up at his place, and the only dry clothes hes got are his
pajamas, which he gives her. They end up getting married, and she still loves sleeping in his pajamas. He
passes away, but shes still got his pajamas.
One of Henmans favorite songs on his new album had
even more intimate audience involvement. I was playing at a house concert where there were a lot of
younger kids around, Henman said, so I asked the

the kids to help me

write a song. The kids
knew there was a baby
asleep upstairs, so they
decided to write a song
about waking up the
baby, which they called
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.
I got four of the kids,
ages 9-12, to come out
to my studio in my
house and record it with
me.
Henmans roots are in
the blues, even though
his recent material is not
that bluesy. I was influenced a lot by what I
grew up with, especially
the Lovin Spoonful and
the Beatles, Henman
said. The Spoonful connected me to old blues players like
Mississippi John Hurt, who was still alive then. I loved
Hurts guitar picking. And his blues were happy blues.
Henman has just put the finishing touches on the CD at the
New Brunswick studio of another well-known Musquodoboit Harbour musician, Mike Trask Jr., the CDs producer.

The liner notes list all 90 people who contributed to this

unique collaboration of artist and audience.
Henman will be doing a House Plants release party in
Musquodoboit Harbour at Uprooted Market and Caf on
Friday, November 20th at 7:30 pm. For tickets ($15), call
902-889-9189.

Editorial

13

The Elections Over: Time for Election Reform

By Richard Bell
Congratulations to our new Members of Parliament,
Central Novas Sean Fraser and Sackville-PrestonChezzetcooks Darrell Samson. Given that all of the candidates from Central Nova were from the northern side
of the riding, we were impressed by Frasers outreach
along the Eastern Shore. He was the only candidate with
an office on the Shore. Given the size of the riding, we
hope that he follows up with an official office on the
Shore as well. Although he is new to government, he is
one of the few MLAs from Atlantic Canada with work
experience in Alberta, giving him a national perspective
that the new Prime Minister should welcome in his efforts to bring the country together.
In supporting ABC strategic voting, we did not anticipate
that the voters would take this message so deeply to
heart. The strong swing to the Liberals precluded any
possibility of a minority government, at the cost of

several good public servants. We regret losing Peter

Stoffers vigilance on behalf of the countrys veterans, as
well as his impeccable personal constituent service. But
in the never-ending struggle to provide our children with
better education, Darrell Samsons distinguished record
in public education will give Nova Scotians a strong voice
in this vital arena. Samson is well positioned to provide
wise counsel to his partys effort to bridge another one
of the countrys most important divides, having spent
most of his career in francophone education.
We hope both Fraser and Samson will become leaders in
fulfilling one of Trudeaus most important campaign
promises, putting an end to the countrys first-past-thepost election system. By one of those bitter little ironies
that history sometimes coughs up, the Liberals won their
majority with almost exactly the same minority of the
vote (39.5%) as the Conservatives in 2011(39.6%). Such
minority-based majorities are an insult to the spirit of
democracy. It would hardly be a surprise for the Liberals

enthusiasm for electoral reform to fade. By following

through on his promise to replace first-past-the-post with
something fairer, Trudeau has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership on a world stage, where politicians so
often fail to put country before party.

Opinions
The Eastern Shore Needs a Village, not a Campus
By Richard Bell
At a meeting at Gaetz Brook Junior High on October 28th,
several members of the Community Campus Vision Association (CCVA) asked for support for the campus concept that MLA Kevin Murphy first unveiled in 2014. I
share their belief that the Eastern Shore deserves a new
high school, and a second ice pad. (And the current government should already have replaced The Birches
building.)
But as the very last questioner Susan Cook put it, what
the Eastern Shore needs is a village, not a campus.

very survival of The Birches as a community-rooted organization.

Politics, at least as it relates to the business of governing,
involves striking a balance between what would be ideal,
and what is possible in the moment. The campus concept leans much too far in the direction of the ideal.
There was never any possibility that Musquodoboit Harbour and the communities further east would support a
plan that involved ripping out the institutions at the
heart of the village.

new Birches, replace the high school, and get a 2nd ice
pad and better recreational facilities?and better recreational facilities?
The Liberal government says it will soon issue an RFP to
build and operate a replacement for The Birches. So this
project is already well on its way to happening. The fight
here is not about whether to build, but who will run the
new facility.

CCVA board chair Jean McKennas presentation on the

need for a new high school was by far the bestJust because the advocates of a proposal are well inten- And even if there were no community opposition, the
researched talk of the evening. Her photographic comhurdles facing a campus concept would still be formi- parisons of ESDH with newer high schools made a comtioned has nothing to do with whether we should embrace that proposal. From the intimacy of our family cir- dable, from assembling the large amount of capital to
pelling case for accelerating the replacement process.
cles on out, we all know that people we love and respect coordinating the complicated rules of the uncoordinated Our school board member Bridget Boutlier told the meetbureaucracies with jurisdiction over each facility.
are quite capable of becoming enthusiastic about ideas
ing that she was already working to get ESDH moved onto
that, through no fault of their own, can have undesirable I appreciate the good intentions and enthusiasm of sup- the boards top priority list. Boutlier needs community
effects on their personal lives, or the lives of the larger
porters of the campus concept. But the campus con- help in persuading the other members of the board to
community.
cept has generated divisiveness ever since MLA Murphy agree to bump ESDH to a higher priority.
The strong opposition on dis- It was less clear, at least at the CCVA meeting, whether
We have now lived long enough with the campus con- first introduced his vision.
th
cept to be able to see that this concept is having a nega- play at the October 28 meeting suggests that continuthe desire for a second ice pad has as much support as
ing to push the campus concept will be countertive impact on the lives of the people of the Eastern
replacing the high school. Dale Stienberg, who manages
productive, making it less likely that the Eastern Shore
the Eastern Shore Community Centre, told the October
Shore.
will ever get any of the facilities that everyone would like meeting of the Musquodoboit Harbour & Area Chamber
The Liberal government is already guilty of an unconto have.
of Commerce & Civic Affairs of a variety of plans for imscionable delay in dealing with the most acute infraproving the ESCC, including building a second ice pad.
structure problem on the Shore, replacing the aging
Instead of continuing to struggle over whether the
Highlighting the importance of community support, Stienbuilding at The Birches. And as the associated article ex- campus concept was the only way to go, why not focus
berg pointed out that it was the citizens of the Eastern
plains, Minister of Health and Wellness Leo Glavine
instead of what people could do right now to build a
Shore who came together back in 1972 and raised the
plans to issue a request for proposal that threatens the
money to build the rink.

14

Arts Scene
she considered to be wonderful. "Meeting other performers and hearing their experiences and advice; gaining lots
of information and tips and really just being in an arena
where the talent is is mind boggling. Really it has all been
not have chosen bet- so positive. If I decide to go back next year, I would probater." For theatre and ac- bly go for 2 weeks instead of nearly four and cut unnecescommodation Miller ex- sary costs in other areas too now that I know a little more."
plains it was a two minute
Several family members of Millers made the trip from
walk to the theatre where
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario to Scotland to see
she performed.
There
her show. Her cousin, Stephen Brown, who did the musical
were lots of little grocery
arrangements for her was in her audience and it was the
stores and cafes right
first time, he saw the show being done with his contribuaround the corner from
tions.
where
she
stayed. "Edinburgh is a Miller says of her theatrical adventure, "Yes it was an awebeautiful city. People are some, awesome trip and a fabulous experience. I really
very friendly and of course felt a part of this huge Fringe Festival. There was a great
the city was abuzz with feeling of camaraderie among performers. Everyone was
fringe performers 'flyering' friendly and I received a lot of advice from more seasoned
their shows on the performers who go back every year." She continues,
streets." That was something Miller found she had not Everyone talks about the challenge of getting audiences. There are so many shows; the public is overbeen doing enough of and found it somewhat hard to do.
whelmed so it is difficult to make choices. The media covHowever she says, I am really
erage, the reviews and the mass flyering that the performpleased with the response overall to
ers have to do are the key. Obviously if you have 5 or 6
the show. Audience numbers averpeople in the cast, it is easier, more people to promote."
aged from 5 to 16 per night."
The theatre seats 45 in total. "I was Miller thinks the Fringe is becoming quite commerfine with those numbers, consider- cial. Many professionals perform there and it is a great
ing there were so many other way to get your work out there. There are still lots of stushows to see and I don't know how dent shows, one-person shows like Miller.... people who
people even begin to choose." The are not professionals. "The majority of people were very
venue people where she had her positive about my show. Last of all, just to do 20 shows
show were wonderful in helping her and let the show evolve was just great. I think the more
promote her show. They put out you do, the more you learn. It's all experience."
posters and they are a mainstream,
Miller had 3 different crew members who manned the
popular venue that people know
lights and the music cuing whom she found to be profesand keep coming back to... so Miller
sional and friendly. They too, each have aspirations themsuspects that helped ticket sales.
selves for either acting or technical work. There were 2 box

Miller completes performances at Edinburgh Fringe Festival

By Janice Christie
Kerry Miller had a whirlwind of a summer. First, she puts
the finishing touches on her one woman original musical ,
Kitty's Bound for Broadway, and then performs five local
shows before heading off to New York to perform three
shows 'off Broadway". Next she heads to Edinburgh, Scotland where she puts on her show 20 more times.
The Dream's the Thing and everyone has one. 50something 'Kitty Adler' is no exception. She has always
wanted to be on Broadway. Could her dream have finally
come true? Kitty's Bound for Broadway is a 40-minute, 11
song, 1-woman show entirely written by Kerry Miller of
Moser River. Audiences follow along with Kitty as she worries, sings and encounters a few colorful characters along
the way. You are "bound" to be inspired to realize dreams
are possible at any age.
"Well the first two weeks in Edinburgh were a whirlwind as
you can imagine," says Miller. "Getting settled, tech rehearsal, trying out the new space. Location wise, I could

"One of the highlights of being

there would be the six ladies from
Lancashire who loved the show.
They were so tickled... it was very
humbling." Miller also received a
review in The Scotsman. She was
told The Scotsman is one of the
most respected, widely reaching
newspapers in Edinburgh and a review with them is a real plus. The
novice playwright received three
other reviews as well. "The Broadway Baby and Three Weeks reviews
were not very good... but still to get
a review at all I think at least gets
your name out there. A fourth review by, I believe, City Guide was
also quite good, " says Miller. So
overall, Miller's first time At Fringe

offices, one right at the theatre where she performed and

the main Fringe one downtown. Anyone buying tickets
direct at the theatre meant cash in her hand at the end of
the night while all tickets purchased through the main
Fringe office downtown will be tallied and sent to her in a
lump sum cheque. On the financial side she will not come
close to breaking even with her expenses but the experience was worth what she invested.
Miller concludes, "I loved the city of Edinburgh. It is so
'civilized' and very safe. I found a wonderful, positive vibe
and the people are very friendly. The architecture is amazing. It reminded me of Halifax and some of the younger
buildings. The castles dotting the landscape were of course
very different from home."
When Miller returned to Nova Scotia she did 4 shows at the
Halifax Fringe with an average of 16 guests per show. Her
next performance will be as a Dinner Theatre at The
Henley House in Sheet Harbour on November 21st.

November Pin It Up
Local Suppers
November 14
4pm - 6pm Seaforth Hall Dutchman Supper
At the Seaforth Hall 6060 hwy 207 4:00pm to 6:00pm
We are having a Homemade Dutchman Supper of Pork with
Homemade sauerkraut with all the trimmings and PIE.
Only $10 for Adult Kids 5 to 12 $5 Kids under 5 FREE

November 15
5pm 1940s Traditional Christmas Dinner @ Memory Lane
Heritage Village
(902) 845-1937 to reserve. $25.00 per person
Menu Roast Pork Tenderloin with Stuffing and Cranberry
Sauce Plum Bread & Homemade Pickles All the Vegetables from the Garden Plum Pudding and Selection of
Christmas Cookies and Tarts
November 28
4:00 to 6:00 pm Christmas Supper : Scalloped Potatoes,
REAL Ham, Veggies and Various Yummy Desserts at St
Barnabas Church Hall Head of Chezzetcook
Adults $12, Children 6-12 yrs $6, and 5 & under is free
Come join us for a sit-down supper or you can request take
-out Door prizes too!

Dances
November 28
8pm Doors Open, 9pm Dance starts *CHRISTMAS DANCE*
@ Petpeswick Yacht Club with "Ruckus" Band (formerly 102-Midnite) Classic/New Rock & Country, Pop, Oldies, Blues
Call Paula 902 889 2435$10/ mbr & $15/nonmbr

Porters Lake Seniors Group

Wednesday 1:30pm in the Porter's Lake Community Centre. Music, games, etc. Everyone welcome! Contact: Ruth 902 827-2814.

St.Philip Neri Annual Christmas Bazaar

November 28
11am - 2pm
All Welcome. Lunch is turkey burger and consume.ta,
coffee or tea and dessert.

November 14
CAMPBELL & GREEN CONCERT Old School Musquodoboit Harbour
Doors open at 7:30 PM, Tickets are $10 each.

Unabashedly 50 somethings, Campbell + Green (Robert

Campbell and Cailin Green) dig deep into their life experience to share strong stories, a zest for life, and marital
humour in both their songwriting and performances and
are currently touring their new CD, When One Door
Closes.
November 27
7-9pm COFFEE HOUSE (Last Coffee House of the season)
Old School Musquodoboit Harbour
$5 suggested donation. Enjoy amazing local talent, coffee
and refreshments. New performers and all ages welcome.

Musquodoboit Harbour Farmers Market

Sundays 9am - 1pm
November 15, 22, 29 & December 6
67 Park Road, Musquodoboit Harbour at the Bingo Hall.
www.mhfarmersmarket.ca.
[email protected].

November 28
1pm - 3pm

Gerald Hardy Memorial Society Open House

26th Annual Seaside Christmas

Tour along the Eastern Shore
Draws and cash prizes! For full details visit
www.seacoasttrail.com and check out our
map!

November 21
*10am - 1pm St Anne's Lake Echo 15th

Annual Christmas Bazaar

Silent & Penny Auctions, Pick 5, Craft & Bake
Tables, Christmas Basket raffle, Flea Market.
Refreshments!

Gerald Hardy Memorial Society invites you to their

Open House at 22657 Hwy 7, Sheet Harbour.
Gerald Hardy Memorial Society has partnered with
Scotiabank on a fundraiser for a chance to win up
to $1000.
Tickets are on sale for $5.00 at the Scotiabank November 2-27. We will be drawing the winning
ticket 2:30 at the Open House. In celebration of our
20 years, Cascades Thrift Shop and our Arts Room,
will be open from 10 am-3pm.
Cascades will be offering hourly specials during the
day.

*2pm to 4pm; Christmas Tea & Sale;

United Church Hall, 7964 Highway 7, Musq.

Hbr.; Admission Free; Tea $7 Adults & $5
Child (under 5). We have Bake & Craft Tables; Silent Auction; Take out Soup & Biscuit

*10am - 4pm Musquodoboit Harbour District Lions Christmas Gift Sale!

Eastern Shore Rink
For more info, contact: Lion Ken, 902-8893160

November 22

OLD SCHOOL Musquodoboit Harbour

7962 Hwy 7, Musquodoboit Harbour.
[email protected] or 902-889-2735

15

*10am - 1pm Lake Echo Lioness Christmas

Craft Fair at the Lake Echo Community Centre Tables $8. Call 829 3969 to book

Open Both Nov 21 & 22

*Old School in Musquodoboit Harbour
Find unique and affordable gifts at the Old
School Art Gallery all weekend. On Saturday,
Firefly Womens Association will host a sale
of locally sourced gifts.
* 10am - 5pm Saturday, 10am - 4pm Sunday
- SEASIDE CHRISTMAS MARKET & OPEN
HOUSE@ Petpeswick Yacht Club
Hot soup/chowder lunch! Shop at Artisans,
Crafters, and Vendors Tables

Info Contact: Paula @ 902 889 2435 OR

Facebook Event: Petpeswick YC

November 28
4pm to 8pm Memory Lane Heritage Village will be transformed into the town of Bethlehem.
The United Churches, The Anglican Churches, The Roman Catholic Churches and The United Baptist Church of
the Eastern Shore have organized a "Walk Through Bethlehem". Visitors will "follow the steps of the soldiers"
through various biblical scenes that are staged throughout
the village. An Ecumenical Choir will be offering various
Christmas Hymns and songs as well. This will be a wonderful event for singles or families. Free will offering! Half
of the proceeds will go to The Heritage Village and the
other half goes to local Children's Breakfast Programs.
Rain or Snow Date: November 29
December 5
6pm
3rd Annual Musquodoboit Harbour Christmas Parade
of Lights
Starting at Eastern Shore District High School, going
along #7, turning at Park Road, ending at Rink
Contact Nancy at 902-229-4074 or Darlene at 902-8892019
December 6
Open House & Coastal Christmas Tour - Old School
Musquodoboit Harbour
Tour some beautiful and unique homes on the Eastern
Shore.

FREE Community Listings Page Send to [email protected]

Deadline November 20 for paper, anytime for online. Paper & Online - more info about the event online.
Updated List of community events on our web site www.easternshorecooperator.ca