This was not what Nova Scotia fishermen needed right now – Hurricane Juan sweeping across the province destroying boats, gear and sheds.
Ernest Fage, the Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act, put the damage total at $100 million, and the province has promised $10 million in assistance. But the Garrison family in Sambro, about 20 miles from Halifax, doesn’t expect much in the way of financial help.
This fishing village was particularly hard, according to Dale Garrison, a fisherman for 35 years.
“The eye came right over us; there was unbelievable destruction,” he said. “Everything disappeared including our gear shed that has stood there for 60 years. A two-story building next to us that had been there for 100 years went. There are no wharves left; it’s all just kindling now. Our boat parted her line but she survived. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to get her back in the water, though.”
He added, “It was the same thing all along the shore.”
Garrison’s son Grant, also a fisherman, met with Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Chris d’Entremont, who also promised help. But area fishermen aren’t impressed, according to Garrison. “Right now, we’re not expecting anything from any government,” he said. “They just don’t seem to care about us because we’re not big enough; we’re just a tiny little village. The harbor authority helped pay to clean up the debris but we haven’t received word about any help to replace the shed.”
Garrison says that he and his family got power restored five days after the hurricane. “We were lucky in that regard.” The entire province got power back on Oct. 12.