I began my mining career in 1977 and have been an eye witness to the Donkin saga since the day Pierre Elliot Trudeau announced his National Energy Program (NEP) in the 1980s. The NEP earmarked $2 billion dollars for expansion of the Cape Breton coal industry and Donkin Mine wasRead More

To all Cape Breton Students and Teachers: I am grateful to have this opportunity to contact you about the book called Great Cape Breton Storytelling. Great Cape Breton Storytelling has been approved for use in all Strait Area, Cape Breton-Victoria and Mi’kmaw schools. This digital eBook is available at noRead More

Steve Drake’s informative piece on March 18th was revealing — an excellent explanation of why the roof-falls are continuing and of what might be the only ‘fix’ possible. It appears that supporting the roof at these depths is best done with the steel arches. It would be quite something ifRead More

If I get this right, Donkin Mine management, and our provincial Department of Labour, are calling in world-renowned ground control experts to assess the Donkin geology and shine a light on how Kameron Collieries can best proceed after its 12th roof fall. Scott Nauss, senior director of inspection and complianceRead More

Editor’s Note: In January 2019, the federal government announced a plan to end the Cape Breton Development Corporation’s (Devco) coal operations — Phelan Mine was to close in late 2000 and Prince Mine to be sold. The original scheme, as reported by the Globe & Mail’s Kevin Cox, would seeRead More

On December 23, amidst all the busyness leading up to Christmas Day, I was privileged to hear an outstanding interview broadcast on the national radio network of the CBC. The program was the public affairs daily The Current and the guest was the president of the Cape Breton Medical StaffRead More

In a letter to the editor dated 16 July 2002 I carefully set out some historic evidence on the long-predicted conversion of coal transportation from rail to road on Cape Breton Island. Given the pending government pronouncement on rail abandonment (or wink, wink “preservation”), I thought some factual background mightRead...

Where the hell are our senators during our healthcare, child and senior poverty, unemployment and out-migration crises, to name just a few? Other than Senator Dan Christmas bringing up the hot topic of the separation of Cape Breton Island from the mainland, where are our other senators? Have they forgottenRead More

Dear Editor, For the record, on June 17 the Town of Port Hawkesbury registered an Ottawa-addressed Greg Maceachern as a consultant lobbyist with respect to the Allan J. MacEachen Port Hawkesbury Airport regarding infrastructure and transportation matters concerning regional development. In essence, the mayor of Port Hawkesbury is using localRead More

Richard Uniacke was from a prominent Halifax family which included his brother James, the first Premier of Nova Scotia following the institution of responsible government in 1848. After graduating from law school in 1810, young Richard moved to Cape Breton and in 1814 was appointed Attorney General of the island,Read More