The protests continued against shale gas on Friday, March 30th at noon outside the New Brunswick Legislature. About 40 anti-shale gas protesters gathered in a largely spontaneous protest that was called the day before and organized on Facebook. A handful of Liberal MLAs were present including Victor Boudreau, leader of the Opposition, Natural Resources Critic Denis Landry and former Natural Resources Minister Donald Arsenault. The previous Shawn Graham Liberal government originally permitted the shale gas companies to explore large swaths of land in the province. The shale gas opponents say this is just the beginning in more acts of resistance to shale gas being planned for 2012.
According to Fredericton activist Mark D’Arcy, Premier David Alward has broken his promise to New Brunswickers for public consultation on shale gas. “I ran into Fredericton MLA Brian MacDonald at the Boyce Family Market, and he said that Premier Alward told him that his words from his speech back in October 2011 had been ‘misinterpreted.’ Apparently Premier Alward meant something else,” said D’Arcy who along with other members of the Friends of the UNB Woodlot have maintainted a regular presence outside the Fredericton market providing information to passer-bys on shale gas and how it could affect people both in and outside of Fredericton.
“Perhaps the Premier can tell us how his pledge to citizens should have been interpreted. The Premier did say, ‘Furthermore, government MLAs will be holding town hall and information meetings in their respective ridings this month to hear directly from their constituents on this important issue,'” said D’Arcy.