June 20, 2005
Hundreds protest proposed strip mine in Cape Breton
© Canadian Press

FLORENCE, N.S. - Several hundred people have paraded their vehicles through two Cape Breton towns to protest a proposed strip mine at the old Prince mine site.

They were protesting Pioneer Coal's plan for a strip mine on Boularderie Island.

The Stellarton company holds the rights to two of four sites identified by the Natural Resources Department for open-surface mining.

The demonstration saw dozens of cars and trucks snaking through Florence and Port Aconi for about an hour, honking horns and displaying signs in their windows.

"We're fighting government, we're fighting Natural Resources, who want to come in here and let these people come in and destroy our island," local resident Janice Lettues told ATV News.

Government officials have said the mine will reduce the need for imported coal.

But some residents are worried about the effect the mine will have on the community and the environment.

"Our position is there's no right way to do a strip mine," Alan Nicholson told ATV News. "Our water is at stake here, our homes are at stake... for a lot of essentially cheap, worthless, very high-sulphur coal."

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