The existence of trust and confidence in public authorities and in the rules and the outcomes of environmental and other regulatory assessment processes is highly important. This case examines a region that was overwhelmingly distrustful of public authorities making decisions about shale gas development. Kent County is a rural area in New Brunswick, Canada, featuring coastal and inland villages and a unique mix of three cultures (Mi’kmaq, Acadian, and Anglophone). Through a combination of interviews (n=20) and a survey (n=500), we identified three main reasons for the lack of confidence: (1) skepticism over capacity; (2) scandals and controversies; and (3) challenges of aligning with indigenous epistemologies and questions of representation.

Keywords:
public trust, regulation, shale gas, Canada, survey
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2018
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