Cabot in West Mabou. It ain't over 'til it's over, but it's over.

Lorna MacNeil GoCapeBreton - April 27th, 2023 Full article published here

Photo by Gabe Mac

(Friday the 13th, the original.)

Look behind you!

If you have ever watched a horror film, you will know that it is never over until the final credits finish running, and even then, you should keep your eyes on the screen.

Sure, there will be a near final scene when all seems peaceful, those who were up to no good will have been defeated by their would-be victims, but then something unexpected happens, like one of the would-be victims turns out to be one of those who were up to no good, and the battle is reignited – for the last few minutes of the film.

And so it is in the world of protecting protected spaces from developers of so-called magic golf.

On April 20, 2023, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables Tory Rushton announced that “officials from his department informed the company [Cabot] last week that even if it submitted a formal request [to build golf in West Mabou Beach Provincial Park], the government would not consider it.”

As CBC put it, “Although there is no room for golf developments in provincial parks, Rushton said his department remains open to other proposals that would fit in those areas, such as hiking trails. In the meantime, he said his government is focused on completing the list of properties awaiting protection and achieving the goal of protecting 20 per cent of the province's land and water areas.”

So, the credits were rolling toward a sensible end when Rodney MacDonald, former premier of Nova Scotia and current CEO of the Gaelic College and paid communicator for Cabot, took to Facebook to add a twist to the plot of Cabot’s attempted coup in Mabou:

“I should note that Cabot was still preparing its application. It didn’t withdraw anything. The reality is that Cabinet is within its right to consider an application at any point in time regardless of what the Department position is. This is ultimately a Cabinet decision. I have no doubt Cabot will now pause to review last weeks comments by the Minister.”

So, it seems that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Renewables in Nova was not heard in the the Cabot bubble of “magic golf” and “audacious dreams.”

But surely Cabot and Rodney MacDonald – and Minister Tory Rushton and Premier Tim Houston - know these two things: Read the full article here.