The Montreal chapter marches against the Energy East pipeline, November 15.
The Montreal chapter of the Council of Canadians has written Quebec premier Philippe Couillard.
The letter dated December 2nd follows the Quebec National Assembly unanimously calling on the Quebec government to conduct an environmental assessment on the Energy East pipeline, including its “global contribution to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions” (on November 6), the Quebec premier outlining seven conditions with the Ontario premier in relation to the pipeline (on November 21), and Couillard telling the premier of New Brunswick that Quebec would not be pressured by other provinces to back the pipeline (on November 25).
The letter from Board member and chapter activist Abdul Pirani to Couillard states, “As president of the Montreal chapter of the Council of Canadians, I congratulate you and your colleagues for these courageous and necessary actions. …The resolution that the Quebec government has adopted is directly in line with the positions of the international community and popular opinion in Quebec. …The East Energy project is a killer for the climate, for beluga whales, and finally for the country.”
Unfortunately the Montreal chapter will need to continue to pressure Couillard on these issues. While Couillard has now said that TransCanada should abandon its plans for an oil terminal at Cacouna (because of the harm that would do to beluga whales), he has also stated that the pipeline would only be evaluated on the portion that would run through Quebec (contradicting the resolution passed in the National Assembly). To keep up that pressure, the letter concludes with, “The Council of Canadians Montreal chapter and the Ottawa staff would be honoured to discuss in more detail the project with you.”
To read the full letter in French please click here.
For more about our campaign against the Energy East pipeline, please click for information in French and in English.
