Mining affected First Nations and citizens join efforts in urging the Quebec government to respect their rights

Press Release

Quebec, Monday Novembre 21st 2016. Quebec Coalition Meilleure Mine, Algonquiens of Barriere Lake, and citizens from the Malartic Committee are inviting the public & media to attend a Peacefull Solidarity Rally in parallel to the formal opening of the 2016 Quebec Mines Conference organized by the Quebec government on Tuesday morning, Novembre 22 from 9h00am at the Congress Center in Quebec City (1000 Rue René-Lévesque Est). For the occastion, representatives from the Algonquien Barriere Lake Nation (ABL), community members affected by the Malartic open pit mine (CCZSM), as well as other organizations and citizens present in solidarity will join efforts in urging the Quebec government to include the respect the rights of indigenous peoples and those of mining affected communities in its Social Acceptability Policy of resources development projects. Multiple medias events are planed throughout the day of November 22 2016, including:

9h00-10h00 — Solidarity Rally in parallel to the formal openiing of the 2016 Quebec Mines Conference

Peacefull Solidarity Rally in front of the Quebec City Congress Center, 1000 rue René-Lévesque Est, just in front of the mining truck (see more details here).

12h00-13h00 – MENR Ministre Pierre Arcand Speech

Representatives from both the Citizen Committee of Malartic and Algonquiens of Barrier Lake will attend the lunch.

13h30-13h50 – Press Conference in the National Legislative Assembly of Quebec (room Bernard Lalonde)

Press conference with Quebec Solidary elected member and representatives from both the Citizen Committee of Malartic and Algonquiens of Barrier Lake.

14h00-15h00 – « Motion » presented in the National Legislative Assembly of Quebec

Motion presented in the legislative assembly urging the Quebec government to include the respect of Indigenous poeple’s rights and those of mining affected community members into Minister Pierre Arcand Social Acceptability Policy for resources developments.

For more information on the Malartic case, see the lettre send to Minister David Heurtel and this website: : https://comitecitoyenmalartic.org/

For more information on the Algonquien of Barriere Lake struggle, see :http://solidaritelacbarriere.blogspot.com/

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Information :

• Ugo Lapointe (Fr & En), Coalition Québec meilleure mine & MiningWatch Canada, 514-708-0134
• M. Guy Morissette (Fr), Comité citoyens zone sud de la voie ferrée de Malartic, 819-757-4581
• Mme Priscille Trudel (Fr), Comité citoyens zone sud de la voie ferrée de Malartic, 819-354-3567
• Michel Thusky (Fr & En), Nation Algonquienne du Lac Barrière, 819-215-0591
• Norman Matchewan (En), Nation Algonquienne du Lac Barrière, 819-441-8006

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