Sayona Quebec remains silent about the BAPE, but continues its own meetings
The Sayona Québec mining company has not yet announced whether it would itself request an analysis by the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) for its Authier project in La Motte. However, the project is still in development while its representatives meet key players in the field, behind closed doors.
With information from Thomas Deshaies
It has been nearly a month since the Minister of the Environment, Isabelle Melançon, yet invited Sayona Quebec to submit to the procedure of assessment and review of environmental impacts, including a public hearing of the BAPE. Ms. Melançon also clarified that if the mining company did not comply, she would herself recommend to the government to force her to submit to this process.
Sayona Quebec refuses, since this public release of the Minister, any request for an interview and has not yet revealed its intentions. Almost a week ago, the company responded by e-mail to one of our many interview requests that the board still could not meet to make a decision.
In search of support to avoid the BAPE, fears the Committee citizen
Mining representatives have since met privately with key stakeholders in the area. Last week, they met with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Center-Abitibi, as well as representatives of the municipality of Preissac. It was not possible to confirm whether other meetings have taken place with other organizations.
The co-spokesperson of the Esker Citizen Protection Committee, Rodrigue Turgeon, fears that the mining is trying to rally support to change the mind of the Minister of the Environment on the need for a BAPE. "They desperately turn to their traditional allies, whether at the level of the Chamber of Commerce or at the level of Abitibi's democratic institutions," he says. These municipal councils, which throughout the history of the development of our region, have always had at heart the mining development. "
The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Claude Balleux, like the general manager of Preissac, Gérard Pétrin, says that Sayona did not explicitly ask for their support. "If that's the case, they did not show it that way," Balleux said.
"We are in discussion with them (Sayona), but as we speak, we are not at this stage," said meanwhile Mr. Petrin.
At present, these two organizations claim that they do not have a position in favor or against a BAPE for the Authier Project. Position of both organizations
The Abitibi Center Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the economic aspect of the project, but is concerned about the social impact caused.
We do not want to do economic development at all costs. We hear that there are concerns. I think that if this project is to move forward, it must be done in the state of the art.
Claude Balleux
The general manager of Preissac, Gérard Pétrin, collects information, but says he is not worried at the moment. "It is certain that we, in the municipality, the fact that we have three mines on our territory, we are as accustomed to cohabitation," he said. Elected officials have not yet adopted an official position, he said. The support of La Motte
The director of Preissac explains however understand the arguments of the municipality of La Motte, who recently supported the project.
The co-spokesperson of the Esker Citizen Protection Committee, Rodrigue Turgeon, regrets this support, especially because the elected officials confirmed that they did not carry out any official consultation of their citizens. He fears that other municipal councils will ignore the concerns of citizens, particularly expressed during public consultations. "It is not excluded that other municipalities come to publicly demonstrate their support as has La Motte, at this stage, based on any method of democratic survey of their population," protested -he.
The vast majority of (municipal) elected officials who were questioned on the issue came to say that those who moved (in public consultations) and then expressed their political rights, did not represent the opinion of the population. One wonders what advice they base on these municipal councils, and that is very worrisome.
Rodrigue Turgeon
Sayona Quebec did not respond favorably to our request for an interview. On the other hand, the mining company sent a brief statement by email: "The Authier project is running. The team keeps the lines of communication open between Sayona Quebec and the various stakeholders of the project. Sayona Mining's Board of Directors is continuing to reflect on the direction of the project and will share its decisions in a timely manner. "
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