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The term "Travel Generator" is unique to the Tourism Industry. In simple terms, an attraction, activity, or a visitation site that is widely promoted and recognized as a location that tourists, visitors and travel agents are familiar with and wish to hold out as interesting and exciting things and places for people to visit. For example, on Cape Breton the Fortress of Louisbourg, the Cabot Trail, the Bell Museum or Rita's Tea Room would be understood nationally and internationally as Travel Generators. These would be considered important sites for tourists and travellers to visit and experience. These important locations are not only important to tourism operators on Cape Breton, but because of their drawing appeal and attraction are important to tourism operators in all of Atlantic Canada. As a rule, they are included in travel plans and bus tours of most tourists.

Not yet identified but equally important as a travel generator are the Bras d'Or Lakes. Over a dozen facilities responding to the recreational tourism visitors are located at attractive locations around the Bras d'Or Lakes. They include camp grounds, marinas, visitation centers, youth camps, trailer parks, golf courses and sacred property of the First Nations. In earlier times, the Bras d'Or was associated nationally and internationally with the work of

Alexander Graham Bell exemplified by the first aviation flight in the commonwealth by McCurdy in 1907.

Today, the Bras d'Or is best recognized by tourists as the pristine lake in Nova Scotia where there is excellent sailing and recreation available. And this great body of water is at the center of everything else worth visiting in Cape Breton and the Atlantic Region.

It likely never occurs to tourists and visitors that we Cape Bretoners and Nova Scotians take so little care of this valuable body of water. In fact, we are so complacent with our own practices and that of others that we have allowed areas within the lakes to become contaminated to the extent that shellfish harvested in twenty-nine specific areas are unfit for human consumption. Nor are visitors likely aware that they might be enjoying a swim in an area of the Bras d'Or Lakes that has a higher than acceptable faecal coliform count.

The work of the Bras d'Or Stewardship Society is now commencing to highlight some of the problems and sources of pollutants. Clearly, the attitude of many Cape Bretoners is beginning to change. Now, for the first time, information is beginning to become more public as the level of neglect in our habits for caring for the Bras d'Or Lakes and its watershed. The urgent need for greater care, monitoring, and surveillance is a reasonable request for all of us to demand. If we wish to ensure the future health of the Lakes, our collective voices must act as one. The task of correcting the damage to the lake may not be as great as we think if we take the matter seriously now.

Various government agencies dating back to 1976-77 have toyed with serious proposals and recommendations to implement safeguards for the Bras d'Or Lakes and its watershed. It remains to be seen how seriously the current government will be in its commitment to help search out and correct the existing causes of contaminants and pollutants flowing into the Bras d'Or.

There have been models for providing good stewardship of the lakes and river systems adopted in other provinces which could readily be adopted to the Bras d'Or Lakes. One good approach is incorporated in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. This partnership sets 50 objectives that the two levels of government wish to achieve in support of these important waterways by the year 2000. A similar proposal designed by a committee of Nova Scotia Deputy Ministers in 1977 was rejected!

Governments at all levels must join with their citizens to work through partnerships if we are to provide the required protection for the Bras d'Or Lake and its watershed. Such efforts must be real, achievable, and reflect a genuine commitment to responsible stewardship.

Pat Bates, Chairman

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation has agreed to assist in the creation and publication of a hand book promoting proper stewardship of the Bras d'Or Lakes and its watershed. ECBC will share 50% of the costs of the project as well as providing input to the content of the handbook.