Fredericton says no to moratorium on blueberries in Tracadie

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The blueberry fields on the old shooting range in Tracadie stretch over 8,000 hectares, the equivalent of more than 11,000 professional soccer fields . (Archive photo)

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The government of New Brunswick does not intend to impose a moratorium on the development of the clothing industry cornflower in the Acadian Peninsula.

The province's Agriculture Minister Margaret Johnson spoke out on the issue Tuesday. I don't think a moratorium is necessary, since we've been looking at this issue for three years, she said.

This moratorium , the Liberals requested it after noting the extent of deforestation in the region following the broadcast of images filmed by a Radio-Canada Acadie drone two weeks ago.

The leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, Susan Holt, reiterated Tuesday that a pause is necessary in order to bring the world together and try to find a solution.< /p>

We have a community in Tracadie that is completely angry with the situation. This is so not resolved in a good way.

A quote from Susan Holt, leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick

However, the images do not seem to have shaken Minister Johnson, who refused to comment on them on Tuesday.

It is not my role to comment on what people do on private land, she decided, saying she wanted to support the blueberry producers.

The land on which the former Tracadie shooting range is located is owned by the provincial government after a transfer from Ottawa in 1997. In May, the province gave the green light to the development of blueberry fields on part of the former shooting range, which greatly disturbed opponents of the project, who would prefer to see the creation of a recreational sector.

As for the role that the government played in social acceptability, Margaret Johnson argues that there are not only opponents of the project.

Although she is not as vocal in the public square, there are large groups wishing to continue the development of the blueberry industry and we are here to support these people, she said.

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New Brunswick Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Margaret Johnson, on November 21, 2023 in Fredericton.

Asked by Radio-Canada to give an example of the voices in favor of blueberries in the region, Margaret Johnson points to Susan Holt.

We have heard her, in the past, being an ardent defender of the blueberry industry, she says.

The Liberal leader retorts that her position in favor of the blueberry industry does not change, but that we must listen to the community.

Based on Alix's report Villeneuve