Michelle Ferreri

The Premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston, has made a statement so absurd it sounds like satire. He publicly announced that anyone hiking, fishing, camping, or even driving a vehicle in the woods will face a $25,000 fine because it could start a fire.

In other words: Nova Scotia is banning you from going into the woods.

This kind of messaging is exactly what breeds conspiracy theories. When you make extreme claims, like the idea that walking through the woods or fishing is a threat to public safety and then shut down public discussion, you leave people with only one conclusion: the government is trying to control them. And once that seed is planted, mistrust grows. People start asking: why do they want control, and how far will they go?

My first question to Premier Houston is this: how much did you pay someone to come up with this advice? Do you not have communications staff to tell you how laughable this sounds? Or do you think people are so naïve they won’t question it? And then, as if to drive the wedge even deeper, you removed the ability for people to comment on your social media posts about it. That is not leadership. That’s government telling people to “do as I say” and then refusing to hear any feedback.

It’s the perfect recipe for division. And Canada, right now, can’t afford more of it. We are already deeply fractured. Public trust in institutions is near historic lows. People are cynical, angry, and feeling unheard. Leaders should be working to build bridges, not dynamite them with absurd statements that alienate their own citizens.

Nova Scotians are not ignorant of wildfire dangers. They understand the need for caution during dry conditions. What they will not understand or accept is being told that simply going for a hike could land them a $25,000 fine. That’s not public safety. That’s overreach.

If this was a communications mistake, and I am being generous in assuming it was, then fix it. Immediately. Clarify that you know hiking and fishing do not cause fires. Make it clear that you want people outdoors, staying active and connected to nature, and that penalties are aimed at genuinely high-risk behaviour like smoking, using open flames, or operating unsafe equipment during fire bans.

That would be a sensible message. That would restore some credibility. And it would show that you, as a leader, understand how trust is built and maintained.

Leadership comes with responsibility. Part of that responsibility is being accountable for the words you use and the policies you promote. Because whether you meant to or not, you’ve just given people another reason to distrust the very institution you lead. And that’s not just a political problem for you, it’s a social problem for all of us.

We are in a moment where unity is desperately needed. People are anxious, polarized, and looking for steady leadership. They want leaders who speak honestly, listen openly, and respect their intelligence. They want decisions that make sense, not pronouncements that sound like parodies.

Premier Houston, you have the opportunity right now to correct this. Not just for your own political reputation, but for the trust and cohesion of your province. Admit the statement was wrong or poorly communicated. Restore dialogue with the public. And focus on protecting Nova Scotia from fires in a way that also protects it from the flames of division.

Because in the long run, the mistrust you ignite will burn far hotter than any forest fire.

Michelle Ferreri is a political commentator, strategic communications and media consultant, and the former Member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha