Pipelines in Quebec: a Resounding NO from the Citizen Movement
Market gardener from Très-Saint-Rédempteur, neighbour of the Enbridge 9B pipeline. Credit photo Katherine Massam
Pipelines in Quebec: a Resounding NO from the Citizen Movement
Katherine Massam, Secretary General, Regroupement vigilance énergie Québec
This letter is co-signed by members of 84 citizen organizations and public figures who have directly contributed to the fight against fossil fuel projects in Quebec.* It is also endorsed by 29 environmental and other organizations, as well as by dozens of individual citizens who support its content.**
To members of the Quebec National Assembly, Quebec members of parliament in Ottawa and candidates for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party,
This is a message from the grassroots movement that successfully defeated the many projects the fossil fuel industry has tried to impose on Quebec over the last decades: the Suroît gas-fired power plant; the Rabaska LNG port; drilling in the Magdalen Islands, in the Gulf and St. Lawrence River, in the St. Lawrence Valley, in the Gaspé Peninsula, in the Lower St. Lawrence region and on Anticosti Island; the Energy East pipeline and the Cacouna oil port; and the GNL Québec gas pipeline/liquefaction plant (Gazoduq/Énergie Saguenay).
Over the years, we have tirelessly battled all attempts at fossil fuel intrusion into Quebec. We held public information sessions and kitchen assemblies, published newsletters, organized citizen forums, lined our lawns with signs, hounded our MNAs and MPs, had 65,657 refusals of access to property signed, met with our municipal councils and obtained the adoption of hundreds of declarations, resolutions and bylaws, marched, demonstrated again and again, even in the coldest of winters, tirelessly unravelled disinformation, written memoirs and books, participated in consultations, even bogus ones, shot and screened films, sang, drew, gave training in citizen resistance, alerted the media and did so many other things. Our families, our friends, our neighbors understood the issues and, in the end, each time, we won the battle for public opinion. And so, despite the aggressive tactics used by developers and even governments who wanted to force these projects down the throats of Quebecers, they were all withdrawn.
We were therefore astonished to learn that some of you say you are "open" to the construction of oil or gas pipelines crossing Quebec. The climate emergency has not abated since the withdrawal of the projects we defeated. It is worsening, and its first signs are already chilling. The collapse of biodiversity, fueled by climate change, is also accelerating at a terrifying pace. There is no doubt: we must stop producing, distributing, and burning fossil fuels. We will continue to fight tooth and nail for this goal, if necessary, and we know that a whole new generation of activists will, in turn, jump into the fray to defend their right to a sustainable future.
Mr. Steven Guilbeault, Liberal Party of Canada lieutenant in Quebec, it falls to you to convince your leader, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and your colleagues in Ottawa not to give in to Alberta's blackmail by ignoring Quebec's choices. Nature can no longer survive strategic setbacks, as you know. And oil and gas workers deserve better than jobs artificially maintained through scientific denial.
Mr. Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois, you are the only leader of a major federal party to have categorically opposed pipeline projects. We are counting on you to make this commitment a top priority and a condition of your support for Mr. Carney's government.
Mr. Alexandre Boulerice, the only New Democratic Party Member of Parliament elected in Québec, we urge you to demand greater rigor from your party: a pipeline that "does not hurt the environment," as your leader said during the campaign, does not exist.
Members of the Coalition Avenir Québec in the National Assembly, who promised to defend Quebec's interests in Ottawa, how could you vote against the second opposition group's motion calling on the government to oppose any pipeline project in Quebec? It has been clearly demonstrated that such projects would be harmful to the climate, compromise the health of affected ecosystems, threaten the drinking water of millions of Quebecers, in the case of an oil pipeline, and have minimal economic benefits for Quebec.
And you, members of the Quebec Liberal Party, who also rejected the pipeline motion, please remind your party's leadership candidates that Philippe Couillard, the last Liberal premier to date, had to bow down to the social wall the citizens put up between Quebec and the fossil fuel projects he and the oil and gas lobby dreamed up. It's up to you to stop Pablo Rodriguez, Charles Milliard, Karl Blackburn, and other aspiring leaders from following in his footsteps down this dead end.
Members of the Quebec National Assembly and candidates for the PLQ leadership, you have better things to do than fan the flames of the Canadian petroeconomy, often to the benefit of foreign investors, but always to the detriment of Quebec and the planet. The social and ecological transition calls to us and calls to you. Let's unite to make it happen.
*SIGNATORIES
*SIGNATORIES
Odette Sarrazin, Vigilance Brandonnie, Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, since 2012; based on the independent study by Jacques Harvey and ÉcoGestion Solution, mobilization leading to the categorical refusal by the MRC of D’autray, on February 4, 2015, of the passage of the Énergie Est pipeline through its territory; in 2017, fundraising campaign for the (victorious) defense of Ristigouche-Partie-Sud-Est (158 inhabitants) against the pursuit of the oil company Gastem.
Daniel Green, Co-President, Société for vaincre la pollution
Philippe Duhamel, Comité Vigilance Hydrocarbures Trois-Rivières (since 2010).
Stéphane Poirier, Co-founder of NON à une marée noire dans le Saint-Laurent (since 2010).
Martin Poirier, Coule pas chez nous!
Alain Mignault, Chorale du peuple, Montréal, since 2011
Vincent Marchione, Comité de vigilance environnementale de l’est de Montréal (CVEEM).
François Geoffroy, Travailleuses et travailleurs pour la justice climatique (TJC), organizer of the 2019 and 2022 climate strikes
Henri Jacob, President, Action boréale
Shirley Barnea, spokesperson for futur Montréal (2019-2024), organizer of student demonstrations and strikes
Lucie Sauvé, Ph.D., Professor emeritus, researcher at the Center for Research in Education and Training on the Environment and Eco-Citizenship, UQAM, coordinator of the Collectif scientifique sur les enjeux énergétiques au Québec
Guy Coderre, retired teacher, Water Treatment Training Center, author of studies on the vulnerability of water purification stations in case of oil spills (2016)
Esther Auger, Pétroliques anonymes, Rivière-du-Loup (2013-2024)
Dominic Champagne, artist, anti-fracking activist, director of the film Anticosti : la chasse au pétrole extrême
Lucie Bergeron, member of Stop Oléoduc Capitale-Nationale (2013-2019), today Transition Capitale-Nationale
Sylvie Berthiaume, President, Solidarité Environnement Sutton
Gisèle Comtois, member of Mobilisation environnement Ahuntsic-Cartierville (MEAC) since 2015, Montréal
Odette Lussier, citizen of L’Islet, member of Stop Oléoduc Montmagny-L’Islet from 2013 to 2015
Greg Mikkelson, co-founder, Cross Border Organizing Working Group
Louis Couillard, former coordinator of the coalition against GNL/Gazoduq, member of the organizing committee of the September 27, 2019 climate march with Greta Thunberg, which attracted 500,000 people in Montreal and other towns in Quebec. Now responsible for the Climate-Energy campaign for Greenpeace Canada.
Jacques Tétreault, co-organiser of the campaign « Vous n'entrerez pas chez nous » (no access): 65,657 letters refusing access to property signed by citizens saying no to fracking, delivered to the Quebec National Assembly in 2012 and 2014.
Martine Chatelain, President of Eau Secours! from 2010 to 2015, spokesperson until 2018
France Pomminville, Réalité Climatique Canada
Lucie Massé, spokesperson, Action Environnement Basses-Laurentides
Nastassia Williams, spokesperson, Tache d’huile (2012-2018)
Sophie Thiébaut, municipal councillor from 2009 to 2021 (Sud-Ouest borough, Montréal), instigator of opposition resolutions concerning the loss of power of municipalities to protect their territory from fossil fuel extraction (bill 106) as well as railway safety linked to the transport of fossil fuels
Irène Dupuis, President, Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly - Milieu de vie and Lotbinière en transition (2015-2020), co-organiser of the citizen forums Quand l’or noir rencontre l’or bleu (2015) and Demain Lotbinière, on s’emballe pour le climat (2018)
Rose-Hélène Tremblay, Environnement Vert Plus, Gaspésie (since 1986)
Louise Morand, Comité vigilance hydrocarbures de la MRC de L’Assomption (since 2016)
Marie-Claire Binet, President, L’Assomption en transition
Pierre Dostie, coordination committee of the Coalition Fjord (GazoduQ-GNL Non merci ! 2018-2021)
Olivier D. Asselin, director of the film Pipelines, pouvoir et démocratie
Annie Landry, citizen of Îles de la Madeleine, screenwriter of the film Le peuple de la mer and author of La pêche ou le pétrole
Geoff Clayden, representative, La Planète s’invite au parlement-Gaspé (2019-2022)
Majorie Lapierre, Énergie alternative aux Îles de la Madeleine (2010-2017)
Lise Houle, Regroupement Gaz de schiste Verchères (2011-2018)
Simon Côté, spokesperson of Stop Oléoduc Kamouraska (2013 à 2016), coordinator of Arbre-Évolution Coop.
Ellen Nutbrown, member of Citoyens du Bassin de Chambly contre l’oléoduc Énergie Est since 2016
Serge Fortier, Pierre Bluteau and Pierre Brazeau, cofounders of RIGSVSL (Regroupement interrégional sur le gaz de schiste de la vallée du Saint-Laurent) (2011-2014), initiator of the citizen movement against fracking in Quebec, and of CMAVI (Collectif, Moratoire, Alternatives, Vigilance et Intervention) (2014-2018)
Normand Léo Beaudet, Diane Roy and Denise Brouillard, members of Coalition Alerte à l'enfouissement Rivière-du-Nord (CAER), opposed the inversion of Enbridge 9B (2014) and the Ste-Sophie gas pipeline in connexion with the multinational Waste Management mega landfill site (2023-2024)
Mikael Rioux, Vigile citoyenne Cacouna, Marche des peuples pour la terre mère.
André Lafrance, cofounder of the citizen movement Alerte pétrole Rive-Sud (2014-2018).
Guy Boudreau, Comité vigilance hydrocarbures Lavaltrie (2014-2023).
Benoit St-Hilaire, Prospérité Sans Pétrole.
Me Rodrigue Turgeon, cofounder et co-spokesperson of Collectif abitibien Gazoduq, parlons-en! (2019-2021)
Réal Lalande, coordinator, Stop Oléoduc Outaouais (SOO) 2016 to 2018 and President, Action Climat Outaouais (ACO), whose members organized the Citizen March for our rivers (125 km from Saint-André-d’Argenteuil to Gatineau and Ottawa) in opposition to the Energy East pipeline project, from 14 to 20 August 2016
Chantale Gamache, L’Association des Saint-Marcois
Denise Campillo, Comité de vigilance gaz de schiste de Roxton Falls (2010-2025)
Albert Geuzaine, regional coordinator Montérégie (RVHQ) – against fracking (2011-2013)
Serge Giard, St-Hugues anti-fracking committee
Gérard Montpetit, La Présentation anti-fracking committee and author of L’histoire de la lutte aux hydrocarbures à travers 100 textes de Gérard Montpetit
André Bélisle, President, Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique (AQLPA)
Éric Pineault, professor, Department of sociology and Institute of environmental science, UQAM and author of Le Piège Énergie Est
Marc Nantel, Regroupement Vigilance Mines de l’Abitibi and Témiscamingue
Estelle Le Houx, Marche des peuples pour la terre mère
Karen Busque, Les AmiEs de la Terre de Québec
Marc Brullemans, Comité vigilance gaz de schiste de la Mauricie and regional coordinator RVHQ (2010 to 2018)
Denise Laprise, militant, founder of Montmagny en transition
Raymond Gauthier, militant then spokesperson for the Madelinots pour le Respect du Golfe (MRG) movement from 2004 to 2013 and cofounder of Coalition Saint-Laurent
France Mercille, codirector of the film 20 000 puits sous les terres (2012)
Catherine Berger, Rimouski en transition.
Joyce Renaud, founder and Vice-President of Mobilisation climat Trois-Rivières, against Énergie Saguenay
Marielle Boisjoly, committed citizen, Regroupement vigilance Lanoraie
Johanne Béliveau, citizen, co-author of L’héritage des luttes environnementales au Québec - Un souffle éco-citizen
Laure Waridel, Ecosociologist, PhD and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, filmmaker and author, founders of Mères au front; Gabrielle Spenard-Bernier and Myriam Thériault, co-directors.
Alyssa Symons-Bélanger, La Marche pour le Vivant.
François Gagné and Guy Leclerc, architects, members of the group who founded CAP-RN (Coalition Anti Pipeline-Rouyn-Noranda), film Une couleuvre dans ma chambre
Jacques Benoit, member of GMob (Group Mobilisation) source of the Déclaration citoyenne universelle d’urgence climatique-DUC recognized by more than 525 municipalities representing 80 % of the population of Quebec, cowriter of the Plan de la DUC
Hugues Bonenfant, Comité de Vigilance de St-Valérien (2012-2019)
Robert Marquette for Solidarité populaire Richelieu Yamaska
Martin Archambault founding member of OLEA Oxygène Laval En Amont
Marie-Eve Leclerc, organiser of the Marche Action Climat of 11 avril 2015 in front of the Quebec National Assembly (25 000 participants) and of the March 100% Possible of 29 November 2015 in front of the Canadian parliament in Ottawa (also 25 000 participants)
Jean Falaise for the Comité pour l’action climatique et environnementale Durham-Sud.
Julie Hevey, Citoyens au Courant, participated in public hearings against the inversion of Enbridge 9B, organized public meetings on Energy East and the Quebec bill 106 (2015-2018)
Carol Saucier, spokesperson for Regroupement citoyen Solidarité Gaspésie which played a decisive role in the successful fight against the Galt oil project near Gaspé (2018-2021)
Chantal Levert, Réseau québécois des groupes écologistes RQGE
Ulla Gunst, Stop Oléoduc Île d’Orléans (2016-2017), Caravane la Gaspésie à cœur« Eau et hydrocarbures : le tour de la question » (2018)
Geneviève Tremblay-Racette, Table ronde des organismes volontaires en éducation populaire de l’Outaouais (TROVEPO)
Lilas Lamontagne, co-spokesperson, Mouvement citoyen littoralement inacceptable (MCLI) Haute-Côte-Nord (2014 à 2020)
Josée Barrette, Regroupement Vigilance Hydrocarbures Sutton (2014-2019)
Paul Bibeau, Comité du regroupement vigilance hydrocarbure du Québec (Repentigny) 2014-2017)
Rébecca Pétrin, General Manager of Eau Secours
Anne-Marie Chapleau, Mères au front Saguenay.
Carole Dupuis, spokesperson for Mouvement écocitoyen UNEplanète since 2018. General coordinator of Regroupement vigilance hydrocarbures Québec from 2015 to 2018, initiator of the campaign Vous ne passerez pas! (You shall not pass!) in 2017.
**ENDORSERS
ORGANIZATIONS
Martin Legault, coordinator for MARE (Mouvement d’action régional en environnement)
Danielle Demers, President, Les Amis de la Chicot de Saint-Cuthbert
Claude Vaillancourt, President, Attac Québec
André Bélanger, General Manager, Fondation Rivières
Arlene Slocombe, Executive Director, Water Watchers
Mélanie Busby, Coalition large sur l'énergie, Front commun pour la transition énergétique
Sepideh Anvar, Lâche RBC/Quit RBC.
Bertrand Guibord, President, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain–CSN
Karl Janelle, President, Coalition climat Montréal
Executive of the Quebec section of the Sierra Club Canada foundation
Michèle Lavoie, co-founder of Collectif Antigone
Pierre Jasmin, Secretary, Les Artistes pour la Paix
Rachel Fahlman, President of Vent d’élus
Anne-Céline Guyon, Climate-Energy analyst, Nature Québec, former President of the Coule pas chez nous! foundation and coordinator of the campaigns against the Energy East and GNL Québec projects
Yolande Henry, member of Transition écologique La Pêche Coalition for a Green New Deal
Gilles Labrosse, for the action/mobilisation coordination committee of Sauvons la sablière d’Arthabaska
Jennifer Ricard Turcotte, Mères au front Rouyn-Noranda
Jacob Pirro, french-speaking spokesperson for Last Generation Canada
Nathalie Ainsley, for Mères au front Montréal
Maxime Laplante, Union paysanne
Yvan Fleurant, Pour un choix éclairé dans Nicolet-Yamaska
Andréanne Brazeau, Senior Policy Analyst for Quebec and spokesperson for Quebec, David Suzuki Foundation
Charles-Edouard Têtu, Policy Analyst - Climate and Energy, Équiterre
Sophie-Laurence H. Lauzon, co-general manager, Réseau des femmes en environnement
Sylvie Clermont for Regroupement écocitoyen de Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-lac
Adrian Burke, President of Nature Hudson
Linda Robichaud for Mères au front Vaudreuil-Soulanges
Shelagh McNally for Pincourt Vert
CITIZENS
Bruno Detuncq, retired teacher, Polytechnique Montréal
Jacques Lebleu, citizen
Henri-Charles Baudot, citizen, member of Mobilisation environnement Ahuntsic-Cartierville (MEAC) and Eau Secours
Estelle Carde, citizen, member of Mobilisation environnement Ahuntsic-Cartierville (MEAC)
Frédérique Bertrand-Le Borgne, citizen, member of Mobilisation environnement Ahuntsic-Cartierville (MEAC)
Sylvie Clermont, committed citizen, member of MARE (Mouvement d’action régional en environnement), Coalition Verte and Réseau Demain le Québec
Gabriel Cliche, citizen, volunteer for Coule pas chez nous Québec (2013-2016)
Emmanuel Patola, citizen
Catherine Vallée, committed citizen, member of Mouvement d'action régional en environnement (MARE), Coalition Verte and Réseau Demain le Québec.
Christophe Reutenauer, mathematics professor, UQAM.
Lucien Beaupré, citizen
Jocelyne Alain, citizen
Réal Vigneau, citizen
Françoise Cadorette, citizen
Georges Karpat, citizen, member of Ralliement contre la pollution radioactive (RCPR)
Jean-Philippe Waaub, associate professor, retired, Geography Department, UQAM, member of the Collectif scientifique sur les enjeux énergétiques au Québec and of GEIGER, Institut des sciences de l’environnement UQAM
Francis Waddell, La planète s’invite au parlement
Louise Legault
Hélène Crevier, citizen
Jean-François Boisvert, citizen
Jacques Gelineau, environmentalist and director of the series Maya découvre le Saint-Laurent
Isabelle Catafard, member, Le vivant se défend (2025) and Mères au front (2022), Fondation Rivières, brief against GNL Québec submitted to the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (2020), Montréal
Luc Falardeau, citizen
Monique Courchesne, senior citizen
Francine Salvas, member of RVÉQ since 2012
Joceline Sanschagrin, citizen
François Prévost, citizen
Marc St Cyr, committed citizen since 2012
Isabelle Nadeau, citizen, Stop Oléoduc Capitale-Nationale (2013-2018) and Coalition Fjord coordination committee (2020-2021)
Isabelle Gagné, citizen
Nicole Lamarche, citizen
Nicole Comtois, citizen
Jacques Rousseau, citizen
Jean-Paul St-Amand, citizen
Lucien Jutras, citizen
Émilien Pelletier, citizen of Saint-Hyacinthe
Marie-Claire Mayeres, citizen
Annette Landry, citizen, member of MRG (Madelinots pour le Respect du Golfe) between 2004 and 2013.
Yanick Binet, philosophy professor, Collège Lionel-Groulx
Marie Saint-Arnaud, Ph.D., coordination committee of the Collectif scientifique sur les enjeux énergétiques au Québec
Sophie Sarrazin, primary school music teacher
Pierre Benoit
Jocelyne Lachapelle, citizen, ecologist
Eloise Gauthier, Montreal
Pierre-Luc Tremblay, committed ecologist and member of the coordination committee of the Coalition Fjord (2019-2023)
Camille-Amélie Koziej Lévesque, co-spokesperson for the Coalition Fjord during the campaign against GNL Québec (2018-2021)
Simon Barry, Montréal
Stéphane Caron, Montréal
Nata Porowska, Énergie alternative, Îles de la Madeleine (2010-2017)
Pascale Boucher-Mercier, preschool teacher who organizes activities to protect the environment with her pupils, Mont-Laurier
Ginette Guillemette, citizen
Jean Morisset, citizen of L'Islet, member of Stop Oléoduc Montmagny- L'Islet (2013-2017)
Marie-Josée Larocque, member of Stop Oléoduc Montmagny-L’Islet (2013-2017)
Marie Laberge, member of Stop Oléoduc Montmagny-L’Islet (2013-2017)
André Jolicoeur, member of Comité de Vigilance Val de Milt, St-Valérien de Milton
Denis Dessaint, citizen
Martine Leclerc, member of Comité de Vigilance, St-Valérien-de-Milton (2012-2019)
Arnaud Theurillat-Cloutier, member of Travailleuses et travailleurs pour la justice climatique (TJC)
Jean-Claude Plourde
Jean Guilbert, spokesperson, Non aux éoliennes en territoire agricole à St-Maurice
Jacques Ouellet, Solidarité Gaspésie
François Lépine, citizen
Suzanne Fortin, citizen
Catherine Béliveau, committed multidisciplinary artist
Josée Desmeules, member Mobilisation 6600 Parc Nature MHM
Valeria Moro, citizen
Yann Pezzini, citizen, PhD candidate
Yves Galipeau, citizen, member of Solidarité Gaspésie
Mélanie J. Gervais, citizen
Martin Couture, citizen
Joris Maillochon
Jocelyn Fournier, Action Climat Outaouais (2016 à 2023)
Sylvie Rousseau, actor, author and director of the comedy-drama « Notre Drame de par Ici », presented on Îles de la Madeleine (summers 2005 and 2006), to inform local population and tourists about the threats fossil fuels represent in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Bernard Bonneau, maraîcher and member of Citizens au Courant (2013-2017)
Jacinthe Brassard, member of Prendre Parole Vaudreuil-Dorion
Yvon Couillard, citizen, Montréal
Michael Fleckenstein, citizen
Rachel Nadeau, citizen
Anik Tremblay, committed citizen, member of Mouvement d'action régional en environnement (MARE) and Mères au front
Guylaine Thibodeau, citizen and member of Regroupement écocitoyen de Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
Isabel Delarosbil, citizen and member of Regroupement écocitoyen de Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
Claire Lapointe, committed citizen, member and resident of Maison des rebElles, ecofeminist group
Ginette Demers, Mères au front Montréal
Rémi Pelletier, citizen
Berthe Demers, citizen
Claude Boileau, member of the board of « À Châteauguay, quelle ville voulons-nous? », member of Mouvement d’action régional en environnement (MARE), of Multitudes
Claire Dufour, committed citizen, photograph
Laurence Goulet, citizen and member of Regroupement écocitoyen de Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
Lyne Lefebvre, membre Centr’ERE, Mères au front Montréal
Julia Lévy-Ndejuru, Mères au front Montréal
Nathalie Beauregard, citizen
Alexis Beauregard, citizen
Yves Mailhot, Comité de citoyens responsables de Bécancour
Françoise Brunelle, Comité de citoyens responsables de Bécancour
Laetitia Lioussanne, Ph. D., Biological Sciences and Environment
Hélène Charpentier, citizen
Isabelle Senécal, Ph.D., Mères au front
Léa Delambre, Centr’ERE
François Doucet, citizen
Amandine Alessandra, committed citizen
Jerome Rigaud, citizen
Carmen Montour, committed citizen for climate
Eugene Massam, student
Raymond Trempe, citizen
