New Brunswickers band together to send the message that ‘rural lives matter’

It’s a slogan that seems to be catching on in rural New Brunswick: ‘Rural Lives Matter’

Residents say they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get that message out, even if it means spending their Sunday morning on the side of the highway in Canaan Forks, N.B.

“This is all of us in rural New Brunswick working together to send a message to Fredericton: Hey, we’re down here, we matter, lives matter, the decisions you’re making are effecting people’s lives,” explained Perry Black, a resident who lives in Canaan Forks.

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White and green signs are popping up at homes and on the bumpers of cars across the province with one unified goal in mind.

“Just because we live out here in the country doesn’t mean that things aren’t important, like our yellow lines, our bridges, our culverts, our potholes, our roads — they matter,” said area resident Donna Black.

The amount of potholes, the loss of the Gagetown Ferry and the closure of the Cherryvale Bridge are just a few things that affect the quality of life for many rural New Brunswickers.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done in New Brunswick and it’s us people out here in the boonies that aren’t getting any attention at all, ” said Alvin Sleep, another resident of Queens County.

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With the upcoming federal election on the horizon, rural residents say they’ll do whatever is necessary to have their voices heard.

“I’m not a political person but if this turns into a political thing, so be it,” explained Keswick Ridge resident Lloyd Maurey. “I’m not opposed to that and that’s probably what has to happen.”

And that could be a long and bumpy road but one those who live off the beaten path say they’re willing to ride out.