Lise Johnson
St-Ignace Rd, Saint-Louis, N.B.

About three years ago, in 2011, I received an e-mail about the shale gas exploration that was about to happen in our community.  Without knowing the details of this activity, I knew instantly that this would not be good for us.  I attended public meetings that would explain everything about the fracking in details.  I did some research about where the fracking was done in the past and read about all the atrocities of chemical spills, contaminated wells and water and dry wells that people had to face and live with and the side effects of the polluted air that affects the people’s health.

Living with fibromyalgia for years and struggling to put my health back on track with natural remedies, I finally got a good health record and was healthy.  But I knew that if this exploration and fracking would come here, it meant the possibility of having our water ruined, our precious water that I need to drink every day to keep my health up to date.   I knew that my well-being was threatened.  Living also with allergies, I cannot afford to have the air polluted.

This is my home town where I grew up and raised my family.  I don’t want to have to leave.  But suddenly, this place has become hell for me.  Our lives have turned upside down since the arrival of those companies doing the seismic testing.  My stress level that was 200 (normal) went up to 800.   I was diagnosed and being treated at an allergy clinic that treats with acupuncture and also treats for different health problems.  I was also diagnosed that my fear factor of these activities would raise my stress level and would also weaken my immune system each time.  Each time that those seismic trucks were in the area among the overwhelming presence of police, I was getting sick.   I had severe flu, non-stop coughing with chest congestion (caused by the fear factor), and urinary track infection (caused by fear).  I had never experienced those health issues before.  That was on top of the stress level and insomnia that I was experiencing.  That was my diagnostic made by the N.A.E.T. Clinic , all of these caused by the stress of what shale gas exploration will do to us.

I live on Chemin St-Ignace, where the police were for a while.  When I was driving through the police to get groceries, I felt threatened rather than protected. I was afraid of being arrested just for driving through.

I can still not believe that this is happening to us; it is a nightmare.  I cannot have my health put in jeopardy just because someone wants to get rich while they are destroying us.  Lots of people like me with weak immune system, kids, elderly people, will not make it, if those industries come here.

Our province is beautiful, with lots of nature and fresh air, a good place to live.  Now what will happen to it …and to us?