Nova Scotia releases environmental racism draft report, won’t commit to apology

Nova Scotia’s opposition parties are criticizing the government for failing to urgently apologize to Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities for the province’s history of environmental racism.

A panel of experts appointed in 2023 had recommended the province apologize for the decision of past governments to set up environmentally hazardous projects like landfills, coal plants and toxic waste facilities near racialized communities.

The Progressive Conservative government had previously refused to make the panel’s report public, but CBC reported on a draft of it Wednesday.

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Today the government released a June 2024 draft report by the panel composed of community leaders with expertise in subjects such as law, environmental science, and Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian history.

The report includes 11 recommendations, such as allocating more resources to Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian community groups, and a formal apology to them for the government’s history of environmental racism.

Premier Tim Houston said today the government will wait to have a discussion with members of the panel before committing to make a formal apology.

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NDP leader Claudia Chender and Liberal member Derek Mombourquette say it’s shameful that the premier hasn’t yet committed to apologizing.