Cabot golf plans should avoid protected parkland, say opposition leaders

Michael Gorman CBC News - Oct.25, 2022 Full article published here

Liberal, NDP leaders say putting a golf course in a provincial park is a bad idea

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill says Cabot officials should be looking elsewhere for a proposed golf course in the Mabou area. (CBC)

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said his caucus does not support Cabot's proposal.

"Nova Scotians really value our beautiful provincial parks and certainly there's got to be a better development idea to expand Cabot than infringing on the park that's there," he told reporters at Province House Tuesday.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said her caucus also opposes the proposal.

"On the face of it, it's suggesting building a golf course on top of sand dunes in a provincial park, so it seems like a bad idea," she told reporters.

Cabot, which has former premier Rodney MacDonald serving as a community liaison, has pledged financial support for community groups in the Mabou area should the plan proceed. MacDonald is not a registered lobbyist with the province.

Chender questioned the ability for the company to call such an approach genuine community consultation.

"I think it's specious to say that organizations to whom you have offered to write a cheque support your project. Of course they support your project — you're giving them money."

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