GOLD RIVER NOVA SCOTIA, – Fired employees of a First Nation gas station and their supporters are blocking the entrance to the station and a convenience store in southern Nova Scotia.
Harvey Joudrey, one of the laid-off employees of the Gold Nugget gas station, says he and nine other workers have been taking turns in the protest on the Gold River reserve.
Joudrey says another 10 supporters from the community are helping with the blockade at the site, which is part of the Acadia First Nation.
He says the fired employees want to meet with Chief Debbie Robinson at the reserve and be given more information on why they’ve lost their jobs.
Get breaking National news
“We want to know what the reasoning is because none of us feel it has to do with the money,” Joudrey said. “We know we’re making money at the store.”
Robinson told CKBW Radio on Tuesday that she can understand a peaceful protest, but she doesn’t think the employees should be carrying out their blockade of all the buildings on the property.
“I can see protesting in a peaceful manner because you lose your job, but certainly not to go into a band-owned business and close it and stop my employees from going in there,” she said.
She also said the gas station has lost $79,000.
Robinson did not return calls or emails requesting an interview on Wednesday.
Shannon Jermey, the gas station’s former manager, said she wasn’t aware of any losses while she was in charge of the gas station.
“I as manager was never made aware by the gaming commission that we were running a deficit,” she said, adding that she worked at the gas station until late June.
Jermey said the employees are asking that all staff be rehired and the gas station reopened.
She said the staff want the Acadia First Nation Gaming Commission to add representatives from the community.
“We want people on the commission who have no relation to the chief and council,” she said.
(The Canadian Press, CKBW)
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.