We will be driving the long way around to reach our vacation home in Nova Scotia this summer, but if there isn’t a ferry after that, we will consider selling our home. I am sure there are many others like us who will do the same thing. The summer home owners put a lot of money into the economy each year that may not be taken into account when you look at just the tourism figures. It is a sad time for Nova Scotia as I think losing the ferry is going to be devastating to an already suffering region.

How does this idiot think alot of those people got to Southwest Nova to go to the Wharf Rat Rally in the first place…swim?!?!?!?

Thank you for getting that into the paper so people can see the really stupid things this man can say (and do)!
“Paris suggested his department could help alleviate the lack of tourists in Yarmouth by putting up a sign in Digby so “maybe you can tap into the 100,000 people that go to the Wharf Rat Rally.”

I need some answers here.

This is the minister of Tourism?

He is telling the tourist industry they don’t know what they are talking about, a highway sign will solve the problem, that is why he wants to pay $3 million for the Cat not to run. His plan is to put up a sign?

I just want to be the first to say that if this sign thing really works we are going to look like fools don’t you think?

On the other hand if our new NDP minister of Tourism and Economic Development is telling us his only backup plan for destroying the south shore tourism industry and killing 500 jobs is a damn sign. I think he should be removed from office because that is not a plan.

That is stupid Percy, that makes chills run down my spine that your our guy to depend on to grow our industry? Does that sound like Darrel Dexter made a good choice for tourism to you?

The south shore is going to have a recession of it’s own this summer, like we have never seen. Low tourism, bankrupts, few summer jobs, fewer events, less people at the fewer events and tourism for us will suck. Economic development will suck.

This will all be the result of Percy Paris having a plan to use one sign to compensate for the loss of a service that has run forever in our eyes.

Does anyone else feel he was a bad choice for minister?

I do and I am going to be force to suffer threw it.

My god give us hope, for hope is all we have left.

The Digby Ferry is a vital tourist link to Nova Scotia from Maine (Eastest USA) The Province of Nova Scota to do an audit of the economic impact the ferry will have not running this season. The economic loss to the tourism plant of Nova Scota would be substantial. Lost tourism wages, lost of money spent on hotels, in restaurants, tourist shops , etc. The loss of tax revenue to the coffers of our provice has to be major.

There should have been a risk analysis undertaken to determine the short, medium and long term impact on Nova Scotia. This would be done by any professional company. Goverment should be no different and most importantly the results should be shared with all of Nova Scotia. It impacts tax revenue and therefore governmental serices EXAMPLE health and education

The Wharf Rate Rally was projected to attract 14,500 USA visitors from sept 1-6. Many of those visitors wilol not make the trip if there is no ferry. What is that impact alone and has anyone from governement asked?

Concerned!

Who is the man !!! A sign !! Darrell Dexter needs to rethink this cabinet ministers ability to be in this position. I’m speechless and very upset & concerned for our end of the province.

Here is a new one:

Has anyone one heard of this Icelandic company that just received $1.4 million taxpayer loan delivered from Percy or this case Percy’s associate as he did not show for the handing over of taxpayer money ceremony. It also looks like ACOA just gave this newcomer company $1 million in tax payer money as well in October.

Their website in the UK and also Iceland seem to be sparce. This is how they spell Tusket on their website: Plant in Tuscet, Nova Scotia

What are the terms of the loan?

Does anyone know who this company is?

They sell dried fish heads to Africa apparently.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1166108.html

As for the CAT, I can understand pulling the plug if there was proper information and it was clear cut with a warning to the people….. but it seems they decided before due diligence and did not give the people time to prepare for such a decision! The reasoning seems misguided and actual lives will be hurt.

As government salaries rise, perks increase (not in the short-term anyway) - hard working nova scotians seem to be the ones paying the price.

Yarmouth can overcome this in spite of the bad decisions of our politicians.

People that I know in Yarmouth are hard working innovative people that will not stand down.

Oh yeah let’s not forget about the HST rate increase tour.

This is a 25% increase to our portion of the HST. They say Nova Scotians are all for this?

Could you imagine a private company saying to their clients we are raising your rates 25% and we know you are all for it!

No way!!!

People of Nova Scotia need to mobilize and finally say no more. We want prosperity not more taxes.

So when they say a 2 point rise in HST - the media should be reporting a 25% rise in provincial portion.

I was planning our return from PEI through Yarmouth this summer back to Southern Ontario. Without a ferry service to Portland, Maine, I see no possibility of visiting the area and spending my tourist dollars in Yarmouth. We were all (6 adults and 7 children) excited when researching ferry service until out of the blue, we see that all the CAT service is now terminated. This is extremely short sighted. Has anyone in the NS government looked at a MAP??? You just closed the door to a HUGE tourism market.