Federal divestiture of Sydney port delayed by First Nation claim – The Chronicle Herald

October 7, 2014

SYDNEY — An aboriginal land claim over all of Sydney Harbour has put the brakes on the federal port divestiture process and is set to affect transfers of land around the harbour.

It has already strained what were cordial relations between Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Membertou, which, along with Eskasoni, lies within municipal boundaries.

At a special meeting Tuesday, Mayor Cecil Clarke said a divestiture deal was expected to be announced later this month until the municipality was taken by surprise with the land claim.

Clarke said he was disappointed and frustrated, and he hoped to talk to local First Nations chiefs about the claim and its impact on development of the harbour.

Read more: http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1241951-divestiture-of-sydney-port-delayed-by-first-nation-land-claim