BAR HARBOR, Maine — About three dozen protestors chanting in front of the Bar Harbor Club on West Street unofficially marked the beginning of the 32nd Conference of the New England Goverenors and Eastern Canadians Premiers.
The protestors, representing a group called Maine Atlantica Watch, criticized the conference, saying it is undemocratic and being held primarily to benefit business interests on either side of the border. Atlantica is a development concept business groups on both sides of the border have embraced as a way of strengthening the region's economy. The name 'Atlantica' refers to a cross-border region that includes the six New England states, northern New York state, the four Maritime Provinces in Canada and Quebec.
Angela Giles, an organizer with The Council of Canadians in Halifax, N.S., said that the invite-only conference benefits large businesses that want to profit from further development between New England and the eastern Canadian provinces. The purpose of the conference, according to organizers, is to discuss cross-border issues such as economic development, energy, and transportation.
"A major problem with this [conference] is that it takes corporate interests over the people," Giles said, a Council of Canadians flag draped across her shoulders as she sat in the bandstand on the Village Green. "They are trying to make money however they can make money."
Hillary Lister of Athens, a member of Maine Atlantica Watch, said the Atlantica concept would benefit large businesses but would reduce worker protections and harm the environment. For example, it would help corporations who are calling for a regional approach to developing liquefied natural gas terminals, such as have been proposed for Passamaquoddy Bay, and would undermine the ability of local communities to determine what happenes within their boundaries. It also would help push development of an east-west highway that would connect the Maritime Provinces with Quebec through northern Maine, she said.
"We're concerned this [conference] will help lay the foundations of Atlantica," Lister said. "We are calling for the public to be included in these decisions that are affecting our communities."
Hours later, after some of the dignitaries arrived at the club, Gov. John Baldacci's chief spokesman denied the protestor's accusations. David Farmer said independent media groups and other media organizations were granted credentials to attend the conference, so there will be very little about it that is held outside the public view. He said that the elected governors and the premiers are meeting to discuss how they can work together to benefit people on both sides of the border, not just business interests.
"There's nothing anti-democratic about that," he said. "The whole thing in very much in the open. The only exception is a few meals."
On 9/15/08 at 5:53 PM,
Johninphilippines wrote:
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I don't feel that this group of such inexperienced, young kids can be realistic in their purpose, as they stated as their "cause" for the protest. They just don't get it. Take a look at the photo that accompanies the article. They seem to be mostly early "20's-something". I happen to be 65 years old, and still on a learning curve; so where does this leave these kids? I'am not saying that they do not make a good point to their manner of thinking, but if they say that the conference is non-democratic and the benefit is for "big business" for either side of the border. Again, they completely miss the point, because if business relationships bring political cooperation to Maine and Canada and New Brunswick, the actual benefit lies in the populace of those areas - both sides of the US border. And, oh, by the way Atlantica groupies...for any group of individuals to have meetings, to include, but not be limited to governors, Atlantica members, or whatever...it is all "democratic". Apparently, Gov. John Baldacci's aid made the same statement as I did and feel about this "protest". Maybe Atlantica groupies should go up to the park and have a midnight seance.
On 9/15/08 at 7:23 PM,
SteveyDee wrote:
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How about get a job?
On 9/17/08 at 5:27 AM,
vichet wrote:
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I think you are right on here John. But sadly public policy is sometimes effected by groups like this. They can be a distraction. We in Maine really need to be connected to our neighbors. I do not know if it came up in these discussions but I hope the cross Maine highway as proposed by Peter Vigue was on the agenda. These kids likely will be against it since the corridor would run through old paper company land through remote areas of Maine. But it would save long haul truckers 2-2.5 hours from St John to Quebec city as hundreds of trucks make the run daily. They currently travel the longer Canadian highway. Think of the diesel fuel that would save.
On 9/23/08 at 8:35 PM,
beehill wrote:
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john - your age does not bring any seniority to the issue, and in fact it is becoming quite relative as older generations will have a much more difficult time deconstructing all of the consumptive and insatiable habits that we've been soaked in since birth. The 'kids' here have something to teach you and others, and that is that development and earthly destruction in the name of a dollar or some saved gas mileage isn't worth more than spit into a flame. The sad part here is that humans are so easily herded and addicted to convenience, blinding us of the true costs of our pleasurable and privileged existence. Think about the loss of your local voice and governance and the unquestionable power of diversity through local economy. Your slow thought process and learning curve is costing the planet and should make for a pretty messy collapse of this system we're so starry eyed for. thanks.
On 9/26/08 at 12:42 AM,
hillary wrote:
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In regard to the age of people at this rally, it's the young people who are going to have to live with the plans that are put in place at these meeting. On top of that, while not shown in the photo, there was a significant group of people over 60 who also came out to speak out against this invite-only meeting of Publicly elected Publicly-funded officials meeting with representatives of businesses who stand to make major profits from the plans promoted by Atlantica.
As for this being democratic, how much Public funding went into this conference? Where were the representatives of local communities. Town selectmen who wanted to attend were not able to attend the meeting. Doesn't this all include towns? And when the focus of a meeting is on "harmonizing regulations" so that decisions are made on a large regional Atlantica level, and towns can't effectively pass local ordinances, what does that do to local democracy and home rule?
One of the major items discussed inside the conference was the conclusion that this region has an "overreliance on labor." The solution? "Harmonize truck regulations" to bring train trucks into the region, so it would only take one driver to haul 3 trailers. The plan is to have private toll highways - will any much of that money stay in Maine? Where's the benefit to the people of the region? How will this bring more jobs?
Conference sponsor Emera, the energy company that owns Bangor Hydro, as well as Liquified Natural Gas operations, had three times as many delegates invited to this conference as the government of neighboring New Hampshire. The CEO of Emera is the former chair of AIMS, the thinktank promoting Atlantica. Irving had more representatives than the State of Vermont. Irving executive John Irving is the Chair of AIMS, promoting Atlantica. These are the voices that are shaping the future of the region, these are the representatives able to have access to the Governor's administration at the meetings and golf games.
More info at www.maineatlanticawatch.org.
On 9/28/08 at 8:07 AM,
leumas wrote:
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Three dozen lemmings show up to protest something or other? They could have got two or three more lemmings if Al Gore had gone there with them. I would have gone just to kick the big old fat tires on Al's fancy jetfuel guzzling super jet! Global warming could lead to energy independance thru the lack of need for home heating fuel, so maybe these mushheads were actually celebrating!
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