A panel of community members, lawyers and other experts is looking into why unsafe and unpleasant living conditions more common in and around Nova Scotia’s racialized communities.
"A lack of clean water; a lack of proper sewage; somebody having some kind of municipal dump next door to your community, or there's a factory,” said Agassou Jones, an African-Nova Scotian activist and educator.
It’s called environmental racism.
"Pictou Landing First Nation and Boat Harbour, that [was] connected to a pulp and paper company,” Jones said. “A Black community in Shelburne having a dump beside their community, a municipal dump, for decades."
Another example cited is Cape Breton’s Membertou First Nation. Its population was forced to move away from fishing waters in Syndey Harbour more than a century ago.
Jeff Ward, a Mi'kmaq educator, said the panel, struck by the province, is a first good step.
"If we educate the future, educate the children, we won't make those mistakes again,” Ward said.
Officials announced seven additional panelists Friday. Their recommendation are due New Year’s Eve, 2023.
