Media Room

Speeches

Speaking Notes for
The Honourable Scott Brison, Minister of
Public Works And Government Services

On the occasion of the
Announcement of the approval of the
Protocol Agreement for the
Sydney Tar Ponds

Halifax, Nova Scotia
October 28, 2005

Thank you Burnd. Good afternoon.

And a special thank you to the “Sons of Membertou” for that wonderful welcome song.

It’s an honour to be here in Cape Breton at this magnificent facility – one that speaks to the entrepreneurial verve of the Membertou band.

This is certainly a fitting location to announce this new partnership involving the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia and the First Nations People of Cape Breton.

I’m here as Minister of Public Works – the lead federal department for the clean-up of the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens.

But I speak to you also as a former small business person who understands the importance of the protocol we’re signing today.

It is a promise made when we signed the memorandum of agreement and it’s a promise kept.

This agreement underlines the commitment of the Government of Canada to work with other levels of government to ensure the meaningful participation of First Nation communities in economic activity.

We have officially become partners in progress.

Certainly the 400-million dollar clean-up operation will be an economic jolt in the arm for the Sydney area, and there’s no doubt that the First Nations deserve to directly benefit. This protocol paves the way for them to do so.

We all know that the Mi’kmaq Aboriginal People have contributed a great deal culturally – but also economically - to our country, to this province of Nova Scotia and to Cape Breton.

This agreement would not have been possible without the leadership and hard work of the First Nation Peoples of Cape Breton.

I’d like to personally recognize the energetic efforts of Chief Terrance Paul, and Bernd Christmas. We are able to join together for this special occasion as a result of their determination and commitment to sustainable development.

The Government of Canada is proud to support this initiative.

Signing the protocol is only a first step. I am confident this will help build capacity and spur further economic developments for Membertou and other First Nations communities in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Canada.

The protocol includes the development of an aboriginal procurement strategy.

I will now let Nova Scotia tell you about the first concrete result of this new protocol and partnership.

Thank you.