Zachary’s Journey to Minister Lebouthillier’s Riding
Last month my world came crashing down when I and 1100 others found out we no longer had jobs. This is the third time in five years that the Department of Fisheries has closed the Elver Fishery, this time opting not to open it at all.
I was very upset that Minister Diane Lebouthillier made her decision to take our jobs away without even meeting with a single elver fisher. I don’t understand how she possibly could have made this decision in good faith when she wouldn’t even meet with any of us.
I figured there was only one way to make my voice heard, and I was determined to be heard. So, I embarked on a road trip to her riding to protest her lack of consultation, and to promote the petition I made to open the Elver Fishery in 2024. There is still time to salvage this season, but it’s quickly running out. Please consider signing!
In just one week, I put up 1045 posters in 110 communities across Atlantic Canada & Quebec, with 100 official ‘stops.’ I put up 150 posters in 20 communities throughout the Minister’s riding of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine alone. Along the way, I travelled to the constituency offices of Ms Diane Lebouthillier, Mr Mike Kelloway, Ms Jenica Atwin, Mr Wayne Long, Ms. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, and Mr. Sean Fraser.
This is my journey:
Leg One: Halifax to Lockeport, NS
April 11-12, 2024
176 Posters
Stop #1: Windsor – 18 Posters
Stop #2: Wolfville – 9 Posters
Stop #3: New Minas & Kentville – 16 Posters
Stop #4: Berwick & Aylesford – 9 Posters
Stop #5: Kingston & Greenwood – 14 Posters
Stop #6: Middleton – 6 Posters
Stop #7: Lawrencetwon & Bridgetown, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #8: Annapolis Royal, NS – 12 Posters
Stop #9: Digby, NS – 22 Posters
Stop #10: Clare, NS – 22 Posters
Stop #11: Yarmouth, NS – 22 Posters
Stop #12: Barrington & Shelburne, NS – 21 Posters
Leg Two: Lockeport to Halifax, NS
April 12-13, 2024
212 Posters
Stop #13: Lockeport, NS – 18 Posters
Stop #14: Port Mouton & Sable River, NS – 12 Posters
Stop #15: Liverpool, NS – 33 Posters
Stop #16: Bridgewater, NS – 30 Posters
Stop #17: Lunenburg & Mahone Bay, NS – 13 Posters
Stop #18: Chester, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #19: Halifax Regional Municipality – 101 Posters
Leg Three: Halifax to Cape Breton, NS
April 13-14, 2024
112 Posters
Stop #20: Stewiacke NS – 5 Posters
Stop #21: Truro, NS – 17 Posters
Stop #22: Pictou, NS – 10 Posters
Stop #23: New Glasgow, NS – 21 Posters
Stop #24: Antigonish, NS – 13 Posters
Stop #25: Monastery, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #26: Lincolnville & Meagher’s Hill, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #27: Guysborough, NS – 12 Posters
Stop #28: Queensport, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #29: Canso, NS – 11 Posters
Stop #30: Saint Francis Harbour & Hadleyville, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #31: Medford & Steep Creek, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #32: Pirate Harbour, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #33: Mulgrave, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #34: Aulds Cove, NS – 4 Posters
Stop #35: Port Hastings, NS – 3 Posters
Leg Four: Cape Breton, NS
April 14-15, 2024
147 Posters
Stop #36: Port Hawkesbury, NS – 23 Posters
Stop #37: Evanston, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #38: Louisdale, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #39: River Bourgeois, NS – 4 Posters
Stop #40: Saint Peters, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #41: Johnstown, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #42: Big Pond & Irish Cove, NS – 4 Posters
Stop #43: St Andrew’s Channel & East Bay, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #44: Catalone, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #45: Louisbourg, NS – 14 Posters
Stop #46: Mira Gut & Round Island, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #47: Port Morien, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #48: Port Caledonia, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #49: Glace Bay, NS – 18 Posters
Stop #50: Sydney, NS – 51 Posters
Stop #51: Iona, NS – 2 Posters
Leg Five: Cape Breton, NS to Miramichi, NB
April 15-16, 2024
119 Posters
Stop #52: Toney River, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #53: Seafoam & River John, NS – 3 Posters
Stop #54: Tatamagouche, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #55: Wallace, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #56: Pugwash, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #57: Amherst, NS – 12 Posters
Stop #58: Sackville, NB – 8 Posters
Stop #59: Moncton, NB – 40 Posters
Stop #60: Shediac, NB – 20 Posters
Stop #61: Cap-Pele, NB – 2 Posters
Stop #62: Bouctouche, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #63: Miramichi, NB – 17 Posters
Leg Six: Northern NB & Gaspésie
April 16-17, 2024
174 Posters
Stop #64: Rogersville, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #65: Bathurst, NB – 14 Posters
Stop #66: Campbellton, NB – 7 Posters
Stop #67: Oak Bay, QC – 2 Posters
Stop #68: Pointe-à-la-Garde, QC – 4 Posters
Stop #69: Escuminac, QC – 3 Posters
Stop #70: Nouvelle, QC – 6 Posters
Stop #71: Drapeau, QC – 4 Posters
Stop #72: Saint-Omer, QC – 4 Posters
Stop #73: Carleton-sur-mer, QC – 11 Posters
Stop #74: Maria, QC – 4 Posters
Stop #75: New Richmond, QC – 13 Posters
Stop #76: Caplan, QC – 3 Posters
Stop #77: Bonaventure, QC – 3 Posters
Stop #78: New Carlisle, QC – 3 Posters
Stop #79: Paspébiac, QC – 11 Posters
Stop #80: Hope, QC – 2 Posters
Stop #81: Shigawake, QC – 4 Posters
Stop #82: Port-Daniel, QC – 7 Posters
Stop #83: Gascons, QC – 7 Posters
Stop #84: Newport, QC – 14 Posters
Stop #85: Chandler, QC – 31 Posters
Stop #86: Grande-Rivière, QC – 14 Posters
Leg Seven: Miramichi, NB to Halifax, NS
April 17-18, 2024
105 Posters
Stop #87: Minto, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #88: Fredericton, NB – 50 Posters
Stop #89: Oromocto, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #90: Geary, NB – 2 Posters
Stop #91: Saint John, NB – 22 Posters
Stop #92: Sussex, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #93: Petitcodiac, NB – 2 Posters
Stop #94: Salisbury, NB – 3 Posters
Stop #95: Memramcook, NB – 2 Posters
Stop #96: Springhill, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #97: Oxford, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #98: Debert, NS – 2 Posters
Stop #99: Westville, NS – 5 Posters
Stop #100: Bedford Institute of Oceanography, NS (DFO Regional Headquarters) – 4 Posters
Thank you for following along. I hope you will consider signing my petition & sharing it with your friends! If you have a media platform and would like to contact me, you can do so at zacharynb@me.com
Zachary Townsend
Plant Manager
Shelburne Elver Ltd.