After visiting the lighthouse at Prim Point,  we traveled to the town of Bear River which is a deeply fascinating little community. Christiane and I had learned a little of that history when we watched a CBC television show called Still Standing that we frequently watch about small towns in Canada. By watching that show we have learned a lot about some of the small towns such as St. Laurent Manitoba, where we honeymooned in 1971. That was definitely not its claim to fame.

What really fascinated me about Bear River Nova Scotia was the fact that it is built straddling the dividing line between two different municipalities. As a result, the people could not decide which municipality to belong to, so the residents decided, they would not belong to either and in fact would have no local government at all! They decided to govern themselves by consensus, rather than bylaws.  When they need something they chip in to build it.  Co-operative governance. Like a local road or library. No taxes pay for it. Voluntary payments only. All municipal work is done by volunteers.  There are no property taxes either. How is that even possible?  A neo-liberal heaven! Perhaps it works because so many of the residents are artists. It has the highest per capita artist in Canada.

When the place was occupied by Mi’kmaq it was called Eelsetkook which means “flowing along high rocks.” In 1612 the French called the area Imbert, after Simon Imbert a French apothecary who accompanied Champlain. Over time, the name was shortened to “bert” in French, or Bear in English.

The climate and soil conditions in the area are suitable for growing grapes so wineries have developed, and of course, Christiane and I had to visit one of them.  We drove up a hill  to the Casanova Winery and Cidery and had a lovely chat with the owner and ended up buying a Riesling wine and a Crabby Granny Cider in honour of Chris—a well-known Crabby Granny.