At the Crowne Plaza hotel this morning in Fredericton for a provincial municipalities meeting, Mayor Brad Woodside was questioned by the media once again on the city's refusal to formalize legislation to prevent fracking within city limits. Woodside's surly response betrayed his annoyance with the question, ending by his storming away from further discussion.
The city has said several times it will not allow fracking in Fredericton, but has put no formal legislation in place to prevent it. Council has been on the hotseat over the matter by worried activists, who fear the city's decree not binding enough to stop the shale gas industry from moving into town. The most recent confrontation came when activist Mark D'Arcy crashed a council meeting a few weeks ago, to the consternation of the Mayor, who chastised D'Arcy in the chamber for speaking without being on the agenda.
For Woodside, the city has already answered the media's questions on it's shale gas position. He looked frustrated as he left protesters standing on the sidewalk at the Crowne Plaza hotel, while they were shocked at his blunt dismissal.
