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CPAWS

Protecting a river of national importance: A story of love and patience

12Written by: Pier-Olivier Boudreault, biologist, CPAWS Quebec I often say that working to protect our wild spaces is a labour of love. It’s like a rollercoaster of successes and failures, and it requires a lot of patience. With Valentines’ Day upcoming, I am reminded of the attachment that people have to the places they love and want to see protected. The Magpie River in Quebec is one of those places. Join me behind the scenes in the creation of a protected area… Meet the Magpie River First, let me introduce you to the magnificent Magpie River – which our CPAWS Quebec chapter has been working to get protected for almost 10 years! The Magpie River is recognized as one of the best rivers in the world for white-water rafting expeditions. Unforgettable rafting trips of five days to two weeks can be done on the river, as well as intense white-water kayak and canoe trips in the untouched wilderness of the Canadian boreal forest. The Magpie is located in eastern Quebec, on the ancestral territory of the Innu First Nation, the Nitassinan. Unfortunately, the river has also been targeted for hydroelectric development by Quebec’s electricity state-company, Hydro-Québec. 10 Years in the Making The journey to protect the Magpie started in 2009, when a group of local paddlers reached out to CPAWS Quebec for support against hydroelectric development on the Magpie. We quickly realized their story with the river was a true love story. They had been paddling the river for years, yet few people knew about this paradise. CPAWS Quebec agreed we had to do everything we could to make sure the river gets protected for current and future generations – including sharing it with everyone else! I won’t describe all the actions we’ve taken through the years, but I can say that after starting a petition, organizing many trips on the river, attending countless meetings with stakeholders and elected officials, and many, many other actions, we gathered significant support for protection of the river – from First Nations communities, local mayors, academics, businesses, and NGOs. Protection of the river would not only conserve this jewel in the rough but would also provide opportunities for continued recreation and tourism in the area. Now: A Major Obstacle Inside Government After all these years and after all the hard work put in by CPAWS Quebec and our partners, and with a clear protected area proposal on the table from local mayors, the file is in now the hands of the Quebec government. Ultimately it is up to the government of Quebec to make the important decision to protect the river and its watershed for current and future generations. In other words, we are at the very last step. But the problem is that Hydro-Québec won’t loosen its grip on the Magpie River. In September of 2017, we held a “flash mob” in front of Hydro-Quebec’s headquarters, in Montreal. We brought rafting boats, kayaks, a tissue river, and people with us to send a clear message: the Magpie River needs to be protected, not dammed! At that flash mob event and protest, Hydro-Québec publicly committed not to dam the river. Now, a few months afterwards, we have received evidence that, behind closed doors, the Ministry of Energy and Natural resources – responsible for Hydro-Quebec – was still blocking protection of the Magpie River. We can’t protect the river until the government respects the people and respects its own commitments. That’s why we’re not giving up and are planning, among other things, to hand to the government a petition – 10,000 people strong – to support the protection of the Magpie River. We are close to our goal, but we need your help! Sign the petition today and share it with your friends: www.savethemagpie.org. There are many reasons why we want to protect the Magpie River and keep it wild, but the most important is that we LOVE it! We truly do – and we know that many other Canadians feel the same way. Happy Valentine’s Day! Love nature! Pier-Olivier Boudreault, biologist, CPAWS Quebec Coordinator of the Magpie river protection campaign For more info about the Magpie River campaign (plus photos and videos!), visit http://snapqc.org/en/index.php/campaigns/magpie/.