By Lawrence Powell
The Spectator
NovaNewsNow.com
More than a dozen protestors were out for West Nova MP Greg Kerr’s hide Friday afternoon, some protesting the Federal Conservative’s omnibus Bill C-38 which they say leads to an erosion of democracy, and others who were upset with the plethora of new mink farms planned in Annapolis County.
Kerr, on his way to make a federal funding announcement at King’s Theatre at 3 p.m., stopped to talk with the crowd, telling them that he was open to sit down and talk with them. Protestors told Kerr they had already tried to contact him but got no reply.
Protestors interrupted Kerr when he did try to speak, and the MP and Bill C-38 protestor Laurie McGowan got into a face-to-face shouting match before Kerr headed across the street to the theatre.
Annapolis Royal Police Chief Bert McNeil and three officers were on hand, keeping their distance but paying attention to the mood of the protest.
Signs said: “government of Shame Kerr-Zero,” “$ For Farmers Not Minkers,” “Kerr=Mink=Stink,” “Annapolis River Says No Mink,” “Kerr Hero or Zero?” with “Hero” crossed out. McGowan also held a sign with a slash through the words “Bill C-38." A girl held a sign that said “Allow Democratic Debate on C-38.”
Protestors also made noise with pots and pans and a gong, and had and empty chair with a sign on it that had originally said “Kerr.” The MP’s name was crossed out and replaced with “This Seat Vacant.”
After the encounter, Kerr said he wasn’t upset by people speaking their minds but he was frustrated that they hijacked a good-news funding announcement to do it.
Some more detail would be good in this picture. The combined anti-Mink and anti-Bill C-38 protesters were set up across from Kings Theatre as requested by the Town police. Then Mr. Kerr - fresh from voting for Bill C-38 walked over to the 20 people to glad-hand but an older woman refused to shake his hand after what he'd done that morning. Kerr leaned into her menacingly while pointing a finger and said, "I'll remember this. I'll remember this". Then he came to the bulk of the sign carriers and started to say that the Mink industry was the biggest growth industry in Annapolis County. At that point I said, "At what cost?" and was explaining how the combination of Environment and Fisheries Department cutbacks and changes to many laws within Bill C-38, COMBINED with the record of groundwater and waterway pollution from the Mink industry was a very bad thing. Just before this picture was taken, Mr. Kerr said "If you were working instead of doing things like this...." Amazing! This from a backbencher in the Harper government who's meal ticket is toeing the Party line and doling out crumbs like those given to Kings Theatre - all while gutting the country of things we all consider good and universal. I don't think that he could survive as a self-employed person in rural Nova Scotia like I have for 20+ years. That's why I was upset. But Greg Kerr seemed to find it all amusing.