Mi'kmaw chiefs want environmental racism report and recommendations released

The chief of Membertou First Nation says the report by a panel on environmental racism in Nova Scotia needs to be released.

Terry Paul says he and other Mi'kmaw chiefs have discussed the matter and while they've not seen the report themselves, they believe making it public is an issue of accountability. 

"We agree that that report would be important for the people in Nova Scotia to know so that we can deal with those issues," he told CBC News.

"That government report should be made public."

• Opposition MLAs worry N.S. government is shelving environmental racism report

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The creation of the panel and its report was the result of an NDP amendment to a piece of major environmental legislation from the Progressive Conservative government in 2022.

While the report was delivered to the province a year ago, little is known about its contents.

Becky Druhan, the cabinet minister responsible for the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism, would not say last month if she'd even read the recommendations.

And while Deputy Premier Barb Adams said in March that the report is being used and shared across government, senior public works officials told a legislature committee earlier this month that they've not seen it.

L'nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin told CBC News on Tuesday that she's seen the report, but she wouldn't share any thoughts on the document.

"I really wouldn't want to take away from what we're here to do today," Martin said following an announcement she made with Paul of almost $900,000 in government support to help Mi'kmaw communities in Cape Breton respond to the effects of climate change.

Martin did not appear to share Paul's view that the report and its recommendations should be made public.

"The good work was done to inform government and it's done that. So I would say that with that, I respectfully feel like that work has been done in a good way."