In February, the family of Henri Dubé from the Atikamekw community of Manawan set up a roadblock around kilometer 60 between Saint-Michel-des-Saints and Manawan to prevent a forester from continuing her activities in the territory. She blamed the Scierie St-Michel for unauthorized cutting in its maple grove.
The investigation by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks concludes that responsibility is shared between the ministry, which authorized the cuts, and the Scierie St-Michel, which decided to go ahead without the approval of family.
However, no penalty or compensation is provided. This provoked the ire and disappointment of the family and the Council of the Atikamekw of Manawan.
The Federation of Manufacturing Industry deplores a lack of rigor
of the Quebec government and qualifies this decision as blunder [qui] is not without consequences
. The Atikamekw of Manawan unanimously decided last week to maintain the dam and the moratorium on logging.
According to the FIM-CSN, approximately 400 jobs are threatened. A hundred for the sawmill and the others among the forestry workers and suppliers.
It’s an explosive file
, says Louis Bégin, President of the FIM-CSN. Not to escalate the conflict or add fuel to the fire and allow discussions to move forward
, neither the Federation nor the employees wanted to comment on the matter before the official tabling of the report. But reading the latter has them angry and outraged
according to Louis Bégin.
What really worries us is that [le ministère] played the sorcerer’s apprentice in this file. We have a department that does not seriously take this huge issue into account and that did not pick up the file when it was time or do things as it should have. Who will foot the bill in the end? The employees
, is indignant the president of the FIM-CSN. Because, he recalls, if the Atikamekw maintain the dam, it is for assert their rights
.
The president and director of the Scierie St-Michel, Jean-François Champoux, has already indicated that he wants to start his activities on June 6, but without putting pressure around kilometer 60. He is not very confident for the months to come.
Union members are very concerned
according to the president of the Union of Employees of the Sawmill, Marcel Hogue. We do not understand why the government does not already intervene to repair its error
, he said. He even fears that working hours will be cut from June if nothing moves.
The Federation of Manufacturing is concerned that other First Nations will follow suit and make the same demands. We have a huge fear that it will become more radical and that we will end up with a more complex file
he says.
This kind of misstep can set us back several years in our relations with the Atikamekw. We have to find a way to reconcile before it’s too late.
indicates for her part the president of the Central Council of Lanaudière, Patricia Rivest, in a press release.
A working committee between the MFFP, the Atikamekw Council of Manawan and the Atikamekw Nation Council is currently finishing its work to better redefine the rules of the game and find common ground aimed at respecting the Atikamekw way of life in the territorial planning and management.
Louis Bégin believes that with the results of the investigation into the Dubé family sugar bush, the government has lost his credibility
. According to him, it’s a committee to repair broken pots
.
He challenges Minister Pierre Dufour: It’s time to stop managing the forest piecemeal and accumulating bad news
.
The ministry has not yet responded to a request for comment on the case.
For its part, Resolute Forest Products indicates that the dam has not directly affected them so far and the company has no additional fears. She says she is maintaining dialogue and exchanges with the parties.
Nevertheless, the senior director, public affairs and government relations of the Louis Bouchard group nevertheless hopes that a lasting solution to this situation can intervene as soon as possible for the good of all
.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca