Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil is resigning after seventeen years in politics. He’s promised he will stay on until a suitable party leader can be chosen. There are likely a lot of “loose ends” to tidy up around the office.

Many companies were lobbying governments to relax environmental rules, while many businesses saw a reduction in hours, sales and profits. The Mining Association of Nova Scotia, or MANS, spent time with false promotions about how gold can save lives. They have been accused of using the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to lobby the government for favours and promote their agenda.

They claimed the gold business was being harmed by economic uncertainty over future earnings from the pandemic. Considering the amount of toxic pollution created by gold mines, it makes it hard to believe they could continually ask for favours. It isn’t just the ground and waterways. Gold mines produce an enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

June 3 2020 the National Observer published a report on governments relaxing environmental restrictions on industries during the pandemic. It said fees paid by industry for air emissions were deferred, and provided a link to the source of the information on the Nova Scotia government website. It isn’t there any longer. It’s been removed. Since goldmines are the only mines in the province now, it makes the connection very easy. But hard facts couldn’t be found.

Likewise, information about deferred fees for onshore petroleum drilling applications has been removed as well.

Environmental legislation requiring a strategic plan for climate change was postponed. Reaching net-zero carbon by 2050 was on the agenda but there seems to be a lot of disagreement. They should have this in place by Dec. 31, 2020. It isn’t obvious if work on this issue has continued.

There is reason to believe that the federal government will accept almost anything from Nova Scotia at this point. Compared to the havoc Doug Ford has been wrecking on Ontario environmental laws, Nova Scotia’s can’t be any worse.

“Doug Ford gutted Ontario’s climate plan, and the feds are allowing him to do it,” said Keith Stewart, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Canada. “Ontario is not pulling its weight on the climate fight.”

You have to give Mr. Ford credit, where credit is due. At least he isn’t trying to hide anything.