By Mitchell Ferguson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post
November 16, 2023
ESKASONI — Eskasoni First Nation and the federal government have announced an ‘Addition to Reserve,’ expanding the First Nations community’s land base by 85.5 hectares. The land is just southeast of Eskasoni in the Benacadie/Castle Bay area.
The primary purpose of the land addition is to accommodate future commercial development, population increases, and economic growth. Eskasoni’s Chief Leroy Denny says the process of officially adding the land to the reserve after the land was initially donated to Eskasoni nine years ago in 2014 was relatively quick.
“Around ten years ago, once this land was donated to us, we said we want this to be reserve land,” said Denny. “It’s a lot of work; it’s a big process you have to go through for an addition to reserve land. It sometimes takes 15, 20, 25 years to go through the process, so this was really quick.”
“ESKASONI IS OVERCROWDED”
Chief Leroy Denny says the space is desperately needed to accommodate the growing community.
“Eskasoni is overcrowded. We’re running out of space,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the upcoming strategic planning that the council and I will make for these lands, mainly commercial, industrial and residential subdivisions.”
Jaime Battiste, the federal government’s Parliamentary Secretary and Minister of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, delivered the announcement on behalf of the government. He said that supporting the growth of First Nations communities is part of the government’s vision of reconciliation.
“I’ve often been a part of these conversations around communities where families are set at each other because of the lack of places to live, lack of places to put housing. This is one small step along the journey of reconciliation to ensure that Eskasoni has the houses that we need to ensure for the growth that we foresee for this community,” said Battiste.
GENEROUS DONATION
Battiste says the land addition would have never been possible without a generous donation from a man with an important connection to almost the entire community.
“I wouldn’t be able to make this announcement without the kind gift from Dr. Virick, who donated a large piece of this land to this community,” said Battiste. “He was the doctor who probably delivered half of the people in this room, if not all, including myself.”
The land addition comes from a generous donation by Dr. Mohan Virick, a longtime family medicine practitioner. In his 67 years of practice in Eskasoni, he says he’s treated generations of families, from grandparents to grandchildren.
“I have seen four generations of Grand Chief. I have looked over our Grand Chief’s (Norman Sylliboy) great-grandfather,” said Dr. Virick. “I’m proud of all the people who are sitting here, they’re my kids.”
“THIS IS MY REAL HOME”
Eskasoni has a registered population of about 4,760, with around 4,000 people currently living on the reserve. Dr. Virick says he’s cared for over 4,000 community members, illustrating his deep connection to Eskasoni and its people.
“Probably some of my ashes will be parted here,” he said. “If I’m born again, I’ll probably have a band number.”
Dr. Virick, who immigrated to Canada as a young man from Myanmar, says Eskasoni will always feel like home.
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“Every time I come here, I feel that this is my real home. I came here, I think, at 23. My whole life has passed here. My best memories are from this place,” he said. “What little contribution I made is a very small one, but I’ll be glad that people will be living there. They’ll be happy, and they’ll have children, they will love each other, and they will build.”