Dan Mills re: Study on Transportation

Subject: Study on Transportation


Dear Editor:

I attended Monday's ACOA sponsored meeting relating to transportation and the Digby Ferry in Digby.

It didn't take too long to realize that the ferry is but one facet of a multi-sided issue that concerns the Annapolis-Digby area in a concrete way as it does all South West Nova.

Often times communities are further divided when one group alone stands up for a bread and butter issue for them which overall does not impact upon all the rest. I was pleased to hear from the outset the generic," transportation", used rather than ferry alone. Transportation of course includes all ferries, but also every pot-holed, bumpy stretch of infrastructure that leads to home. And of course, our air facility.

And there's the rub! All the combined issues presented are about our home here, about our community, and all the people who live in it. The men and women of the generations who we celebrated this day (Remembrance Day) gave their very all to ensure that all of us, bar none, here for centuries or a year, have won the right for us to call this our home."No greater love than one should lay down his life for his friends...."

The primary question then is not about a ferry, new or old; it's not about paving highway 1 from here to Weymouth and calling it 101, or any other of the many issues on our plate like Hospital, Wharves, or Health Care. We each can get on our soap box and pick the one that we like best and effectively in so doing say: "To heck with all the rest!" That pits one against the other, and so against any chance at real community.

I think our governments at every level love it when we do that to each other! They don't divide and conquer; we do it to ourselves! And they chuckle to themselves and muse:"They don't know what they want! Forget them!"

The primary issue is this: We are a people who belong here. This is our home. We are Canadians and Nova Scotians. We have as much right to all the basic services (and even amenities) as do Haligonians- by any other name.

We need the very best of transportation by land and sea and air in order to enable those who live here to welcome others and move themselves and their products expeditiously. Half measures will not do. We need a hospital and medical professionals to help us and show us how to stay healthy so that we can live productive lives for the good of our community. We need institutions of education which build caring people and so enhance the community's well-being.

Reading between the lines on Monday night, I could here "a united voice" crying not from the wilderness but from one beating communal heart. It was a cry for justice and fairness. Our needs are clear. If our political leaders cannot recognize our basic right to fundamental needs, they should not con us any longer.Do the job we elected you to do or move over and we'll find someone who say's what he means and means what he says.

Everybody speak now or you may well have to forever hold your peace.

Daniel Mills
9396 Waterford
RR 4, Digby NS
BOV 1AO

1-902-245-5171