A Tantramar councillor says she reported concerns to the RCMP over alleged comments made in connection with opposition to the proposed RIGS gas plant, while the municipality’s deputy mayor pushed back against suggestions that protesters could become violent.
The exchange happened Thursday during a special meeting of Tantramar council to discuss the gas plant following the province’s conditional approval of its environmental impact assessment.
Councillor Alyssa Greene said she had been troubled by language she said was used during previous presentations to council, including repeated use of the word “bomb” and references to the RIGS dispute becoming “the next Oka.”
“We’ve had people coming in here using the word bomb repeatedly during their presentations,” Greene said. “That’s unsettling as a council member that there are members of community talking about that, speaking that this is the next Oka gonna happen here.”
Greene said she did not want to see that kind of action in the municipality and said council should ensure the issue moves forward peacefully.
Deputy Mayor Josh Goguen responded by defending the conduct of people who have demonstrated against the project.
“Everything that I’ve seen as protests have all been peaceful,” Goguen said. “People have been very peaceful and have been very respectful, especially in the council chambers.”
Goguen pushed back on connecting those comments to the wider group opposing the project.
“I don’t think you can paint the whole group as that,” Goguen said.
Greene later returned to the issue, saying she believed concern over the use of the word “bomb” had also been raised by Tantramar’s assistant clerk.
She also said she had contacted the RCMP over comments involving references to Oka, which she characterized as threats.
“The threats, which I would define them as that, that this will be the next Oka, I did report those concerns to the RCMP as well,” Greene said.
Greene said that while demonstrations against the project have been peaceful, she was concerned that could change.
“People can be incited by even a single individual to behave in an inappropriate fashion, and we want to ensure that we have good, clear heads moving forward on this and any other issue,” Greene said.
The meeting did not identify who made the comments Greene was referring to or provide more context about how the word “bomb” had been used. Greene also did not say whether she received a response from the RCMP.
Theodore Ramharack holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Western University and a diploma in Broadcast Journalism. He recently completed an internship with CBC News’ The National.
Originally from Ontario, he moved to Sackville to join CHMA as a local journalist and is excited to get to know the Tantramar region and share stories from the community.
