MV Miner should be federal election issue, says group

The wreckage has been cleared away, but a group in Cape Breton wants to make sure people don't forget about the MV Miner during the federal election campaign.

The 223-metre bulk carrier ran aground off Cape Breton in September 2011, while it was being towed to Turkey to be scrapped.

The province eventually paid for the cleanup this year, at a cost of more than $12 million.

Now, the Main-A-Dieu Community Development Association is asking the federal political parties to weigh in on what happened.

"It's not about shaming anybody or making any political party against another one — it's about clearly understanding who's going to help us go on with this," says Amanda McDougall, president of the development association.

The federal government has says it has no jurisdiction in the matter, because the vessel posed no threat to navigation.

It has also refused to pay any of the salvage costs.

McDougall says Ottawa was negligent in issuing a licence for the vessel to be towed, without securing adequate insurance or bond from the owners.

She says there should be a review of federal regulations to avoid a repeat of the MV Miner experience elsewhere.

The association also suggests that the federal government negotiate with the province of Nova Scotia to share the costs for salvaging the vessel and remediating the site.

A letter from the development association asks federal party leaders for a policy statement by Sept. 20, four years to the day after the MV Miner ran aground.

"I find it mind-boggling that so many years have passed," says McDougall.

"I can't believe it's taken this long. But I'm also exceptionally proud of our community and our local representatives for never giving up."