Newspaper Opinion Piece by Roy Dupuis
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lafemmenikita_fansBack in December Roy Dupuis wrote an opinion piece that was published in the Quebec newspaper Le Devoir. As co-founder of the Rivières Foundation, he encouraged the provincial government and Hydro Quebec, the province's leading utility company to forego new hydroelectric projects on the Magpie River. Part of the river is already damned but Hydro Quebec maintains that it might still choose to pursue future projects to help with the growing energy needs of the country. Activists in the past have successfully advocated on behalf of the river, citing the negative environmental impact not only on the natural resources but the mostly indigenous communities that are in the region.
The article is in French and you can find it here on Le Devoir's website. I, unfortunately, don't speak French so I've used my browser's translation features to get it in English. I've placed it behind the cut for those interested in reading Roy's stance.
Does the government lack vision with the Magpie River?
December 15, 2022
Roy Dupuis
The author is an actor and co founder of the Rivières Foundation
The Muteshekau-shipu Alliance, which I met for a feature-length documentary project, has just won the 2022 Rights and Freedoms Award from the Commission des droits de la droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse for its work for the protection of the Magpie River, on the North Shore.
One of the aspects of this territorial protection project that seemed important to me is the collaboration between the Innu of Ekanitshit (Mingan), Minganie elected officials and environmental and citizen groups, such as the Society for Nature and Parks - SNAP Quebec and the Association Eaux-vives Minganie (AEVM). This is undoubtedly one of the elements that contributed to the Alliance obtaining this prestigious award.
What is blocking?
I note that in recent years, Hydro-Québec has not put forward hydroelectric projects. Many energy options are now available to us to diversify our renewable energy sources, in a more cost-effective way than building new dams.
The time has become more propitious than ever to finally protect this river, the Magpie, the Muteshekau-shipu in the language of the Innu.
There is consensus in Minganie, on the North Shore. Mayors, mayors and prefects, all walk hand in hand with the tourist community, environmental groups and Innu elected officials to protect the Magpie.
It is internationally recognized for water sports.
She is the first in Canada to have obtained rights and legal personality.
However, time passes and nothing is done. No protection. This blockage is inexplicable. Essentially, Hydro-Québec and the government want to keep the potential to harness a river with a meagre potential of 800 MW of electricity while other solutions exist.
COP15 and protected areas
COP15 is currently being held in Montreal. The protected areas are still too few. However, the need for these wild territories is undeniable, as evidenced by the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which speaks of the loss of natural areas as a real threat to the survival of biodiversity. Other animal species also need it.
Today, I have come to consider that Hydro-Québec has an extremely enviable position to participate in the energy transition without the need to harness the Magpie River.
Hydro-Québec has a great opportunity to show its listening to First Nations, environmental groups and civil society. After all, this is one of the main orientations of his latest strategic plan.
Will the Prime Minister and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec have the courage to rule out any dam project on the Magpie River to resolutely turn to innovation and give free rein to the protection of this unique river?
The article is in French and you can find it here on Le Devoir's website. I, unfortunately, don't speak French so I've used my browser's translation features to get it in English. I've placed it behind the cut for those interested in reading Roy's stance.
Does the government lack vision with the Magpie River?
December 15, 2022
Roy Dupuis
The author is an actor and co founder of the Rivières Foundation
The Muteshekau-shipu Alliance, which I met for a feature-length documentary project, has just won the 2022 Rights and Freedoms Award from the Commission des droits de la droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse for its work for the protection of the Magpie River, on the North Shore.
One of the aspects of this territorial protection project that seemed important to me is the collaboration between the Innu of Ekanitshit (Mingan), Minganie elected officials and environmental and citizen groups, such as the Society for Nature and Parks - SNAP Quebec and the Association Eaux-vives Minganie (AEVM). This is undoubtedly one of the elements that contributed to the Alliance obtaining this prestigious award.
What is blocking?
I note that in recent years, Hydro-Québec has not put forward hydroelectric projects. Many energy options are now available to us to diversify our renewable energy sources, in a more cost-effective way than building new dams.
The time has become more propitious than ever to finally protect this river, the Magpie, the Muteshekau-shipu in the language of the Innu.
There is consensus in Minganie, on the North Shore. Mayors, mayors and prefects, all walk hand in hand with the tourist community, environmental groups and Innu elected officials to protect the Magpie.
It is internationally recognized for water sports.
She is the first in Canada to have obtained rights and legal personality.
However, time passes and nothing is done. No protection. This blockage is inexplicable. Essentially, Hydro-Québec and the government want to keep the potential to harness a river with a meagre potential of 800 MW of electricity while other solutions exist.
COP15 and protected areas
COP15 is currently being held in Montreal. The protected areas are still too few. However, the need for these wild territories is undeniable, as evidenced by the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which speaks of the loss of natural areas as a real threat to the survival of biodiversity. Other animal species also need it.
Today, I have come to consider that Hydro-Québec has an extremely enviable position to participate in the energy transition without the need to harness the Magpie River.
Hydro-Québec has a great opportunity to show its listening to First Nations, environmental groups and civil society. After all, this is one of the main orientations of his latest strategic plan.
Will the Prime Minister and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec have the courage to rule out any dam project on the Magpie River to resolutely turn to innovation and give free rein to the protection of this unique river?
