Latest news with #PictouLandingFirstNation
Hamilton Spectator
12-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Historic Nova Scotia ship that led to wave of Scottish immigrants relaunched
PICTOU - A restored replica of the square-rigged sailing ship that sparked a wave of Scottish immigration to Nova Scotia more than 250 years ago was relaunched Saturday with a mighty splash into Pictou harbour. After a restoration and public fundraising effort that began in 2019, the rebuilt hull of the Hector was eased into the water sideways during a colourful ceremony on the town's scenic waterfront. During the launch, the vessel was guided down seven ramps, known as launchways, after supporting wedges were removed — a process master shipbuilder Vern Shea described as a sight to see. 'It's kind of nerve-wracking,' Shea said in a recent interview. 'I've witnessed quite a few launches in my career, and you always get the hair on the back of your neck rising and the goosebumps every time you see it.' Shea was instrumental in the original build of the Hector replica, which was not fit for sailing, and was installed 25 years ago, next to the interpretive centre and outbuildings of the Hector Heritage Quay. The wooden vessel was built from the original designs, using traditional methods and materials, Shea said. Over the years, the vessel wasn't properly maintained and fell into disrepair before the Ship Hector Society bought it for a few dollars in 2010 from the town of Pictou. The society has spearheaded a $4 million fundraising effort for the latest restoration, which required an extensive rebuild to transform the Hector into a fully working sailing vessel. 'It was the vision to sail it. It's been my hope all this time,' said Shea. 'It's becoming a reality, which is very fulfilling.' Shea, who also worked on the engineering drawings for the rebuild of Nova Scotia's iconic schooner Bluenose II, said the latest rebuild of the Hector required all of the hull planking above the ship's waterline to be removed and replaced because of rot. The ship was then covered in fibreglass for added protection. 'We replaced all of the rotten planks up to the main deck with Douglas fir planking and then we filled the seams with pine and then used two layers of fibreglass,' Shea said. Inside the hull are two cramped compartments built as they would have been in 1773, when 189 men, women and children made the harrowing 11-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Smallpox claimed 18 lives during the journey. 'It would have been disgusting, there's no two ways about it,' said Shea. On its website, the Ship Hector Society says those who arrived aboard the Hector made 'enormous cultural, political, intellectual and industrial contributions that shaped Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada.' Saturday's launch was attended by several dignitaries, such as Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, federal Attorney General Sean Fraser and Chief Tamara Young of the Pictou Landing First Nation. Young said the arrival of Scottish settlers in northeastern Nova Scotia in 1773 changed the course of history for 'everyone who calls this land home.' 'For us as Mi'kmaq, our story does not begin with that ship. It began long before with thousands of years of life, culture and knowledge,' she said. 'The launch of this new ship, Hector, gives us an opportunity not just to commemorate the past, but to shape a better future.' Now that the ship is in the water and as more funding becomes available, the next phase of the project will begin, such as installing electric motors, masts and sails. It's hoped the refurbished Hector will be ready for harbour tours by 2027, said society chair Wes Surett. He said just over $2 million in public funds had been raised so far for the project, with another $1.8 million to go to finish the ship. On Saturday, that effort got an added boost with a donation of $1.25 million, announced by David Sobey from the Sobeys grocery chain and co-chair of the Hector capital campaign. Surett said the interpretive centre opened last month after an extensive revamp through funding from the federal and provincial governments. Future plans for the site also include the addition of a sailing program, along with a wooden shipbuilding school. Surett said a Hector that can finally set sail will be the real money-maker. 'We really see it (the ship) and that sailing experience generating the revenue to sustain the attraction long-term,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025. — By Keith Doucette in Halifax
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Final preparations underway for historic ship launch
It marks a new era in the storied history of the ship, which arrived in Pictou Harbour on September 15, 1773, with 189 passengers onboard from the Lochbroom and Coigach areas of North West Scotland who had boarded almost three months earlier in Ullapool. With just over two weeks until the long-anticipated relaunch of the Ship Hector, final preparations are now underway to ready both vessel and community for what has been billed as a 'once-in-a-generation' event. The replica is located at the Hector Heritage Quay, a heritage centre run by local volunteers, in Pictou, Nova Scotia. Pictou is renowned as the "Birthplace of New Scotland" because it was the primary location where the first Scottish immigrants arrived in 1773. READ MORE: New era for replica of ship that transported Scots to Nova Scotia On Saturday, July 12, the town will come alive as thousands gather to witness the iconic tall ship return to the water. Work continues on the standing and sliding ways that will guide the ship safely back into the harbour, with crews also putting finishing touches on the ship's hull and deck. The launch will mark a major milestone in the $4 million restoration effort, and a proud moment in Nova Scotia's shared cultural and maritime story. The launch event will include a formal ceremony, cultural performances, heritage displays, and the highly anticipated dockside launch of the Hector into Pictou Harbour in the town of Pictou. Vern Shea, project manager for the restoration, said: 'The side launch of the ship will be an unforgettable sight, and spectators can expect quite a show when the Hector makes her big splash. 'Seven sliding ways will be positioned under the Hector, secured, and when released, will allow the vessel to slide down the standing ways and into Pictou Harbour. Once afloat, she'll be stabilized and inspected before being secured at Pier C.' Between the years 1770 and 1815, nearly 15,000 Scots travelled from their homeland to settle in Nova Scotia (Image: Getty) Members of Pictou Landing First Nation will participate in the Ship Hector launch through cultural expressions and contributions to the day's program highlighting the connection between the Mi'kmaq people and early settlers. Meanwhile, hands-on maritime activities, such as blacksmithing and knot-tying, will showcase skills that shaped seafaring life in the 18th century and genealogy experts will be on hand to help Ship Hector descendants trace their family roots, connecting past and present. Throughout the entire launch weekend, Pictou will be alive with festivities, from free outdoor waterfront concerts and a Pictou Yacht Club regatta to a headline Launch Day concert at the deCoste Performing Arts Centre. As phase one of the ship's restoration nears completion, the Ship Hector Society is also completing a major transformation of the Hector Heritage Quay Interpretive Centre. Supported entirely by federal and provincial funding, the new centre will feature interactive exhibits that tell the story of the Scottish settlers' partnership with the Indigenous Mi'kmaq people of Pik'tuk. 'These new exhibits will add incredible depth to the story of the Ship Hector,' said Wes Surrett, Chair of the Ship Hector Society. 'The Interpretive Centre will open in June, so we encourage visitors to come early and experience these new displays before the big day.' While the relaunch is a major milestone, the Ship Hector's journey isn't over. Plans are in place for the Ship Hector to evolve beyond its role as a dockside attraction. The next phase of this ambitious project will see the vessel transformed into Canada's largest fully rigged, electric-powered passenger sailing vessel, offering tours and sail training programs. Targeting full operational status by summer 2027, the Hector will serve as both a landmark of Canadian heritage and a premier tourism destination for Nova Scotia. With the final phase of work expected to begin after the ship is back in the water, the "Charting Our Course" capital campaign aims to raise an additional $1.8 million - £980,000 - to complete the restoration and sail the Hector into her next chapter. 'We're in the final leg,' said Surrett. 'Every donation helps bring this project to completion and ensures that the Hector's legacy will live on, allowing visitors to step back in time and, one day, sail aboard this incredible vessel.'
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Nova Scotia chiefs say province needs to improve consultation on natural resources
HALIFAX – A representative for the Nova Scotia Assembly of Mi'kmaw Chiefs says the provincial government needs to do a better job of consultation as it seeks to develop the province's natural resources. Chief Tamara Young, of Pictou Landing First Nation, told a legislature committee today that the province's duty to consult with the Mi'kmaq needs to be more than an afterthought or a 'box to be checked.' Patrick Butler, the senior Mi'kmaq energy and mines adviser, confirmed during the hearing that chiefs were not consulted before legislation that was passed in March lifted a ban on uranium and a moratorium on fracking for natural gas. Butler says they also weren't consulted when the Natural Resources Department said it was issuing a request for proposals for uranium exploration at three sites in the province earlier this month. He described the relationship with the department as 'rocky and inconsistent' and says it's always better when the Mi'kmaq are informed as early as possible when it comes to natural resources development. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. The department's deputy minister, Karen Gatien, says the government is committed to consultations, but she agrees that it should be done earlier where possible. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
CBC
01-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Pictou Landing First Nation seeks judicial review of Boat Harbour cleanup plan
'I just want to make sure it's done the right way,' says chief Pictou Landing First Nation has asked the Federal Court to overturn Ottawa's approval of a plan to store contaminated sludge from Boat Harbour in an enclosed structure on nearby land. The Mi'kmaw community in northern Nova Scotia has filed for a judicial review of the decision from federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. Guilbeault said last month that the proposed remediation of Boat Harbour, which for decades received wastewater from a kraft paper mill, "is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects." In a submission to the Federal Court this week, Pictou Landing First Nation argued Guilbeault's decision was "patently unreasonable." The submission mentions insufficient consultation, interference with treaty rights and violations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, among other grounds. Supporting documents have not yet been filed with the court. Image | The Northern Pulp mill in Abercrombie Point, N.S. Caption: The Northern Pulp mill in Abercrombie Point, N.S., viewed from Pictou, N.S., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, a few months before it closed. (Robert Short/CBC) Open Image in New Tab The respondents are the federal environment minister and Build Nova Scotia, the provincial Crown corporation that's in charge of the Boat Harbour cleanup project. Neither party has yet filed a response. Nova Scotia Public Works Minister Fred Tilley, who oversees Build Nova Scotia, declined to comment on the case while it's before the courts. 'We can't really heal' Guilbeault's approval incorporated several conditions, including the creation of an advisory committee to examine alternative locations for storing the sludge. But he stopped short of mandating that an alternative site be found. Build Nova Scotia would be allowed to use the existing containment cell, as planned, and then move the sludge again if an "economically feasible" alternative is found. Pictou Landing Chief Tamara Young said she's worried that if the containment cell is used at all, her community will never be rid of the sludge. "I just want to make sure it's done the right way," she said in an interview. Young said her community lacks trust in government because of the history of Boat Harbour. Pictou Landing First Nation agreed to sell the former tidal estuary to the province in the 1960s so it could be used to treat effluent from the mill at Abercrombie Point, N.S., that was most recently known as the Northern Pulp mill. Community members have said they were duped into the deal with false assurances that the effluent wouldn't be harmful, but they soon noticed major environmental changes. "We can't really heal as a community if we keep that containment cell there," Young said. In earlier stages of planning the remediation, Build Nova Scotia said one alternative was to send the sludge to a facility outside the province, but ruled it cost-prohibitive because of the huge volume of sludge that would have to be hauled away by transport trucks. Young said the community is pushing for storage of the sludge on the site of the now-shuttered pulp mill, which would overcome the hurdle of long-distance transportation. She said she's eager for the committee that Guilbeault ordered to get to work so that option can be fully investigated.
CBC
01-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Pictou Landing First Nation seeks judicial review of Boat Harbour cleanup plan
Pictou Landing First Nation has asked the Federal Court to overturn Ottawa's approval of a plan to store contaminated sludge from Boat Harbour in an enclosed structure on nearby land. The Mi'kmaw community in northern Nova Scotia has filed for a judicial review of the decision from federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. Guilbeault said last month that the proposed remediation of Boat Harbour, which for decades received wastewater from a kraft paper mill, "is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects." In a submission to the Federal Court this week, Pictou Landing First Nation argued Guilbeault's decision was "patently unreasonable." The submission mentions insufficient consultation, interference with treaty rights and violations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, among other grounds. Supporting documents have not yet been filed with the court. The respondents are the federal environment minister and Build Nova Scotia, the provincial Crown corporation that's in charge of the Boat Harbour cleanup project. Neither party has yet filed a response. Nova Scotia Public Works Minister Fred Tilley, who oversees Build Nova Scotia, declined to comment on the case while it's before the courts. 'We can't really heal' Guilbeault's approval incorporated several conditions, including the creation of an advisory committee to examine alternative locations for storing the sludge. But he stopped short of mandating that an alternative site be found. Build Nova Scotia would be allowed to use the existing containment cell, as planned, and then move the sludge again if an "economically feasible" alternative is found. Pictou Landing Chief Tamara Young said she's worried that if the containment cell is used at all, her community will never be rid of the sludge. "I just want to make sure it's done the right way," she said in an interview. Young said her community lacks trust in government because of the history of Boat Harbour. Pictou Landing First Nation agreed to sell the former tidal estuary to the province in the 1960s so it could be used to treat effluent from the mill at Abercrombie Point, N.S., that was most recently known as the Northern Pulp mill. WATCH | A timeline of Boat Harbour from the 1960s to 2019: A brief history of Boat Harbour and Northern Pulp 5 years ago Duration 6:29 This timeline covers major events from the 1960s to 2019. It begins with the construction of the pulp mill at Abercrombie Point to Premier Stephen McNeil's 2019 announcement that the Boat Harbour effluent treatment site would close. Community members have said they were duped into the deal with false assurances that the effluent wouldn't be harmful, but they soon noticed major environmental changes. "We can't really heal as a community if we keep that containment cell there," Young said. In earlier stages of planning the remediation, Build Nova Scotia said one alternative was to send the sludge to a facility outside the province, but ruled it cost-prohibitive because of the huge volume of sludge that would have to be hauled away by transport trucks. Young said the community is pushing for storage of the sludge on the site of the now-shuttered pulp mill, which would overcome the hurdle of long-distance transportation. She said she's eager for the committee that Guilbeault ordered to get to work so that option can be fully investigated.
