Mother Canada petitions of support presented to Parliament

A Cape Breton politician presented 10 petitions to Parliament Friday in support of the Mother Canada and the Never Forgotten War Memorial proposed for the Green Cove area ofCape Breton Highlands National Park.

A private foundation plans to raise around $25 million to build the memorial, which includes a 24-metre statue called Mother Canada.

The controversial statue's future is being reviewed by the Liberal government and no decision has yet been made, Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking told CBC Cape Breton'sMainstreet Friday.

"Right now it's amber light, I think," Eyking said. "What I want is either green light or red light. I just want this thing to either move or not move because right now I fear it's dividing the community."

• Mother Canada statue's future under Liberal government review
• Mother Canada project would 'enhance' national park, saysupporters

Eking said if citizens collectpetitions against the project, he will present those, as well.

The Liberal government still stands behind its promise to not spend any money on the project, Eyking said. The previous Conservative governmenthad promisedsome federal money.

Answer expected this spring

Eyking said Parks Canada and the Environment Department should have an answer this spring.

"It's not fair to everybody if it's just hanging around not being addressed," said Eyking.

In an interview last June, TonyTrigiani, the Toronto businessman behind the project,said itmust pass an impact assessment by Parks Canada and a Mi'kmaq ecological knowledge study.

"Mr. Trigianihas put a lot of work into this and time," Eyking said."We kind of appreciate anybody coming into Cape Breton with private money to do some sort of initiative, but there comes a point, 'Is it good to go?'"