Tag Archives: bay of fundy

Stories from the End of the Line

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What does it mean to live at the end of the largest proposed tar sands pipeline in North America?

I recently spent some time trying to answer this question. I visited Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and spoke with several people about the proposed Energy East pipeline. I heard from residents, First Nations, and fishermen that would be impacted by this mega project.

With the cancellation of the deep sea port connection in Cacouna, Quebec, many are starting to ask one simple question. If threats to the St. Lawrence, organized citizen action, and an endangered Beluga whale can stop a deep sea terminal, why can’t the same happen in the Bay of Fundy? Tens of thousands of jobs in tourism and fisheries are supported by the Bay and it is home to the critically endangered Right Whale. The people of Saint John have been in the shadow of fossil fuel development for decades with little to show economically. Is enough enough?

The following are three stories from three different individuals in New Brunswick.

 

Henry Harris – Energy East and the Bay of Fundy

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Henry Harris is a fisherman living on Grand Manan in the Bay of Fundy. He started fishing when he was 14 years old and has been on a boat ever since. His livelihood and the livelihood of 2000+ people living on Grand Manan is connected to the lobster fishing industry. The proposed Energy East pipeline from TransCanada would end in St. John, New Brunswick, and a major increase in tanker traffic is expected if the pipeline is built. Fishermen on the Bay are concerned about the potential of a spill and what it could mean for their communities.

I was lucky enough to head out lobster fishing with Henry while on my Along the Pipeline project. I managed to capture a few images in between those moments where I lost my breakfast over the side. The next day Henry was kind enough to sit down with me and share some of his thoughts.

Watch below.