by Parks Canada has decided to withdraw support for the proposed Mother Canada monument at Green Cove in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The agency says that the project can’t move forward because of a number of outstanding issues, including funding, a final design and an agreement on how funding will be structured for construction and maintenance. The $25 million dollar project was a private effort by the Never Forgotten National Memorial Foundation, and would’ve featured a large statue, known as Mother Canada, commemorating Canadian soldiers who died overseas. The proposal raised environmental and political concerns among its critics, while proponents said that the idea was a fitting tribute to fallen soldiers and would provide an economic boost to communities in northern Cape Breton. In a press release this afternoon, Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking says he’s always supported the idea of the monument so long as it met all of the criteria, and the required private funding was in place. Eyking adds that he hopes the foundation will consider another location in Cape Breton as a possible site for the monument.
Dave Desveaux
Dave Desveaux, a native of New Waterford leverages his experience and passion for research in The Coast 89.7 Newsroom where as the Weekday Newscaster. His foray into radio began with a research position at The Coast, which led to the production of a radio documentary on the music of the Mi’kmaq people. The program, entitled “First Nations, First Music” was co-produced with fellow Coast personality Ron Neville and released in early 2011. A graduate of Breton Education Centre, Dave went on to get a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Sociology from Cape Breton University, as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology from Dalhousie University. He has worked as a teaching assistant at Dalhousie, and in various short-term customer service and research positions.
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