Councillor rents backhoe to bury pilot whale in Cheticamp

A Cape Breton councillor personally paidto remove a dead pilotwhale in Cheticamp, N.S.

Alfred Poirier, the councillor forCheticamp, Meat Cove and Pleasant Bay, said thedead whale near Cheticamp Beach Road was causing a bad smell.

When government agencies failed to return his phone calls, he paid a backhoe operator to bury the whale.

If nobody is going to respond, we are. I live in the community and I dont want any tourists or residents to have to endure it this time of year, especially in the warmer weather.

Poirier said hefaces a bill of up to $700.

He hopes communication between government departments improves so similar situations will be dealt with more quickly in the future.

Poirier said he'sconfident some government department will eventually reimburse him.

Port Hastings whale causes stink

Meanwhile, adead fin whale that washed up on the shore of Port Hastings in Cape Breton on Thursday is making a stink too.

The 15-metre-long mammal washed up on the shore behind the tourist bureau.

The councillor for the area said the municipality has contacted various government departments to remove the rotting carcass.

But so far none of them have taken responsibility.