Opposition to Pentagon's Takeover of Quebec Open-Pit Graphite Mine Project
On May 16, the
United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced
funding for the mining company Lomiko Metals Inc. (Lomiko) to
the tune
of U.S.$8.35 million to develop an open pit graphite mine
project in
the heart of the recreation and tourism area of Petite-Nation in
Quebec. The Canadian
federal Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources added a grant
of C$4.9
million.
The La Loutre graphite project site is located between Duhamel and Lac-des-Plages on the territory of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg (KZA) First Nations. The KZA First Nations are part of the Algonquin Nation and the KZA territory is located in the Outaouais and Laurentides regions.
This announcement has angered people in the region and opposition is being broadly organized. There is no question of the people of Petite-Nation serving the military aims of the Pentagon, they declare. Many organizations and municipalities have spoken out to denounce war production and the general militarization of Petite-Nation's subsurface. The project does not have the support of local communities and organizations, they said. Quite the contrary. They denounce this appropriation of Quebec territory for military purposes.
What spokespeople have said:
David Pharand, Mayor of Duhamel; Co-Spokesperson, Alliance of Petite-Nation Nord Municipalities (AMPNN): "With this joint announcement by the Canadian government and the U.S. Department of Defense, as elected officials we see what was already strong social opposition to this mining project turning into outright anger. More than ever, citizens feel they are being completely ignored."
Louis St-Hilaire, President, Group for the Protection of the Lakes of Petite Nation (RPLPN)); and Spokesperson, Quebec Coalition of Lakes Incompatible with Mining Activity (QLAIM Coalition): "We have been told for five years that this mine will be associated with an ecological transition project. And there you have it. You have let us discover in your pages that this mine, which no one wants, will be used for the military industry. This is absolutely unacceptable."
Claude Bouffard, Coordinator, Citizens' Committee Opposing La Loutre Mining Project (CCOPML): "Ottawa and Washington, with the complicity of Quebec, are prepared to sacrifice the Petite-Nation to wage war. Sacrifice and war are words that go well together. But that doesn't change anything, the people here will continue to defend themselves and do everything to prevent this project.... Until now, the population have mainly mobilized for environmental reasons and the real risk that this project constitutes for the surrounding lakes (Lac Simon, Lac Doré, Lac des Plages, etc. [...] But here, we are talking about something completely different. It has become clear that our resources will be used for the needs of the U.S. army and they find themselves involved in the cold war between China and the United States. It is no longer the energy transition and electrification of transport that we were talking about at all."
Rébecca Pétrin, Director-General, Water Emergency (Eau Secours): "In the wake of all these mining projects, lakes, rivers and underground water sources are being systematically sacrificed. This reality is already very worrying, but to note that these sacrifices will be made on behalf of U.S. militarization is simply unacceptable. Our governments must understand the seriousness of the issues and act accordingly."
Rodrigue Turgeon, Lawyer, Co-spokesperson, Coalition Québec Meilleur Mine (CQMM), Mining Watch Canada counterpart in Quebec: "Militarizing a harmful mining project that has been rejected by the population even before an environmental assessment has been carried out is an incredible act of violence by the system against the people and nature that our governments are supposed to defend, not attack."
Jamie Kneen, Co-Lead of National Program, MiningWatch Canada: "The U.S. military's outright interference openly confirms that the 'energy transition' propaganda of Canada's mineral development policy has been hijacked to serve a military purpose."
Pierre Jasmin, Secretary General, Artists for Peace: "It's shameful to lie to those who support recreation and tourism that sacrificing their lands will serve a transition to renewable energy to save the planet, when what they're doing is the opposite -- supporting militarism that accelerates its destruction."
Opposition to Mining Project Is Not New
For years, Lomiko Metals and the government of Quebec, among others, have promoted this mining project as essential to the energy transition and the electrification of transportation. Today, the massive investment by the U.S. Pentagon is unacceptable and the fact that it is done before any environmental assessments have even been carried out constitutes an additional affront.
Already in 2022, the Group for the Protection of the Lakes of Petite Nation (RPLPN) received support from numerous municipalities for their stand that mining activities be prohibited in areas designated by the Papineau regional municipal county government as reserved for vacationing, recreational-tourism, eco-tourism and forestry. On May 15, 2022, their resolution received the support of 13 municipalities and at least 13 businesses and organizations[1].
In May 2023, about a hundred briefs were produced during the Quebec government's public consultations on the supervision of mining activity in Quebec. These included one by the Association for the Protection of the Environment of Lac-des-Plages (APELDP), and more than 25 from members of the QLAIM Coalition.
On August 6, 2023, 450 people demonstrated in the streets of Lac-des-Plages against this mining project. Dozens of signs against mining activity were then posted throughout the region.
In the Upper Laurentians in August 2022, citizens of Mont-Laurier and the surrounding area were concerned to see a graphite mine development in the area of the Kiamika Reservoir Regional Park. A letter from the Kiamika Reservoir Owners Association (APRK) to Northern Graphite expressed strong opposition to the project:
"Given a high probability that negative impacts will be felt,
such
as noise, dust, heavy truck traffic, deterioration of the
environment,
reduction of biodiversity, acidification of the groundwater and
surrounding waters, effects on physical and psychological
health; and
given the negative
consequences of these impacts on the tranquility of residents
and the
value of properties, two major elements of our mission, the APRK
expresses its opposition to this project to exploit a graphite
mine in
our neighborhood and will join in concerted action to obstruct
this
development."
People in Region Are Getting Organized
On July 7, the Lac Simon Owners Association (APLS) at its annual general meeting in Chénéville addressed, among other things, the situation concerning the La Loutre mining project, and actions planned by the Alliance of North Petite-Nation Municipalities (AMPNN).
On Sunday, August 11 at 10:00 am, the Group for the Protection of the Lakes of Petite Nation (RPLPN) is organizing a screening of Malartic, a film on the reality of a mining village, to be followed by discussion. The screening will be held at 63 Hôtel-de-Ville Street, Salle Danny Legault, in Chénéville.
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 6 - July 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M540063.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca