HALIFAX: A coalition of Mi’kmaw and settler groups and communities from across Nova Scotia are gathering at the Halifax Commons on Nov. 15 at 12 p.m. to call on the Houston government to respect Mi’kmaw Rights, follow democratic processes and stop selling off Nova Scotia to corporate interests.
Led by Mi’kmaw Rights Holders and in solidarity with land defenders at Tqamuoweye’katik / Hunter’s Mountain, organizers are inviting all concerned citizens to join them in demanding accountability from the Nova Scotia government.
“If you live, work, play or pray in Nova Scotia, we want you there,” say Mi’kmaw land defenders Michelle Paul and Glenda Junta.
“We’re standing in solidarity with all resistance movements in Nova Scotia. We want to hear your voices.”
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The Shoulder to Shoulder Rally comes out of a groundswell of frustration and public outcry from all corners of the province.
Since January 2025, the Houston government has made numerous controversial changes to provincial legislation and governance, including the lifting of bans on uranium mining and fracking, consolidating power over municipal development, a willingness to allow private development in protected areas, and changes to the Crown Lands Act that experts warn could infringe on Mi’kmaw Treaty Rights and criminalize legal protest.
Despite this growing unrest, organizers say their message is one of unity and hope.
“We can build a better future for our communities,” says Nina Newington, president of Save Our Old Forests (SOOF).
““But only if we work together. Houston’s arrogant disrespect for Treaty Rights and democracy, his attempts to reverse the progress we have made – all this has brought us together, Mi’kmaq and settlers, city dwellers and rural people. We’re building a movement dedicated to a livable future for all.”
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But with the Houston government showing no signs of changing course, organizers of the Shoulder to Shoulder Rally say they are urging communities to stand up and have their voices heard.
“We’re coming together to protect Mother Earth from destruction,” says Kukuwes Wowkis, a Mi’kmaw land defender at Hunter’s Mountain.
“It’s so crucial for us to protect the lands for the next seven generations, for my grandchildren and yours, before it’s too late.”
The Shoulder to Shoulder Rally will take place at the Hlaifax Commons beginning at 12 p.m. on Nov. 15.
