The Council of Canadians Saint John and Fredericton chapters joined the ‘Hands Across the Water’ action in Amqui, Quebec today.
The outreach had noted, “On June 3, [the Quebec-based group] Coule pas chez nous has organized an event to protect the Matapedia and Restigouche salmon rivers from the proposed Belledune oil-by-rail project. …Paddle on Saturday, June 3, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., down the Matapédia River starting at Amqui, Quebec.”
Amqui is located about 450 kilometres north of Fredericton and about 550 kilometres north of Saint John. The Port of Belledune is located in north-eastern New Brunswick, about 175 kilometres south-east of Amqui.
In July 2016, the CBC reported, “Three Mi’kmaq communities in Quebec are challenging the proposed Chaleur Terminals oil terminal project at the Port of Belledune, this time taking the federal government to court over lack of consultation. Chaleur Terminal’s plan would see 150,000 barrels of oil travel through Quebec and the Matapedia Valley to the Restigouche region on its way to Belledune on 220 rail cars each day. The Calgary-based company then plans to pump the crude oil into storage tanks, eventually to be transferred onto tankers for international export.”
Today, our ally Marie-josée Béliveau posted on social media (in French), “Bravo to the brave and courageous who braved the chilly weather this morning on the beautiful Matapédia River for the launch of the 2017 edition of the ‘not in our waterways’ campaign! …Show all together our love for water courses! It’s the best way to protect them against the dangers of hydrocarbons!”
This is part of three weekends of action. Next weekend – June 10 – the Fredericton chapter is organizing a march in their city against the Energy East pipeline. And on June 17, there will be a march in Red Head (Saint John) where a massive tank farm and deep water export terminal would be built to serve the Energy East project.
For more, please see:
Amqui, Quebec: Hands Across the Water Event
Fredericton: Hands Across the Water Event
Red Head, Saint John: Hands Across the Water Event