Closing Sysco: Industrial Decline in Atlantic Canada's Steel City by Lachlan Mackinnon

Author:Lachlan Mackinnon [Mackinnon, Lachlan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General, History, Labor & Industrial Relations, ADD SUBJECT, Canada, Modern
ISBN: 9781487505912
Google: vhuJwwEACAAJ
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Published: 2020-09-15T20:41:47+00:00

Juanita McKenzie

Juanita was also among the original six Frederick Street residents who began agitating for information and action on environmental issues. In addition to Juanita and Debbie, there was Louise Deveaux, Ronnie and Debbie MacDonald, and Rick McKenzie. I met Juanita in her apartment in Ashby for our interview. She was born in Newfoundland, although she grew up in North Sydney until the age of sixteen. The ever-present smoke of Sysco surfaces early in our discussion; “I always remember seeing the plume of orange smoke. And Sydney, to me, back then, was a dirty place. I didn’t know [the city]. I just knew that orange smoke.” She eventually moved to Sydney and in 1984 her family purchased a home on Frederick Street.

Her memories of the events leading up to the Frederick Street relocation are nearly identical to those described by Debbie. Along with Debbie and four other residents, Juanita helped to lead the fight against toxic pollution in her neighbourhood. Juanita’s entry into environmental activism occurred when the fencing and “human health hazard” signs were being erected around the coke ovens site:

I came home that day […] and they were putting a fence up. And there was this guy there in the white [Haz-mat] suit, and anyone that knows me knows I always have my camera with me […] And I took out my camera and I took a picture of this guy […] And I went over to him and there was a sign. It said, “Human Health Hazard,” and I said, “What’s going on?” He said, “Well, you can’t come over here.” And I said to myself, If he’s dressed like that, and I’m dressed like this … If something’s toxic, how can it just stop at the fence? So I went to a meeting they were having for JAG and the mayor, that night. And I was really upset […] So I went up to the mayor, and I was getting nowhere with him, he was kind of brushing me off. And I just stuck out my hand, for him to shake my hand, and I said “My name is Juanita McKenzie and you’re going to be hearing a lot from me.” And I turned around and walked out. And my husband wanted to kill me [chuckles].74

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