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Action Alert:
Bennett Environmental in the Accused Box
Montreal, February 24th, 2005 - As Bennett Environmental has
been accused of non respect of Environmental Norms in Quebec for
actions of one of its' subsidiary, Récupère Sol
inc. in Saint-Ambroise; seven Quebec environmentalists from La
Terre d'Abord will appear in court from March 1st to 4th. The
seven citizens did a peaceful occupation of the Paul Martin's
riding office in Montreal requesting a moratorium and an independent
environmental study of the Bennett project. During a Press Conference
held today, Stéphanie Leclerc, one of the arrested explained
the reason why they carried out their actions: “All we are
demanding is that a moratorium be imposed on Bennett Environmental
Inc. toxic waste incinerator project in Belledune, New Brunswick
and an independent environmental impact study of the project.”
From the beginning, the Bennett Environmental Inc. incinerator
project for the Bay-of-Chaleurs has brought a huge controversy
in the region. However, even with a strong public opinion demonstrating
against the project and voicing their opposition (appeal, request
for an independent study, 60 000 names petition and many demonstrations),
the project has been approved by the New Brunswick government
and the company is now preparing to carry out their test burns,
which if approved, would get Bennett the Operating Permit. In
the early stages of the project, former Quebec minister of the
Environment, Thomas Mulcair called New Brunswick's government
action as "a bit offhand" and as a "unilateral
decision".
According to Florian Levesque, from Environment Vie, the New
Brunswick government decision is unacceptable and is showing the
contempt for the citizens this government has while pretending
to represent them. “It once again proves that government
and business are working hand in hand while doing business without
taking in consideration the consequences of their irresponsible
decisions on the citizens.”
The opponents to the toxic waste incinerator are continuing
their fight against this project by joining forces together. La
Terre d'Abord, the Return to Sender Coalition, the Sierra Club
and Environnement Vie launched today the campaign Bennett en procès
that will feature many activities in Montreal and Gaspe.
The trial of the seven environmentalists will be held from March
1st to 4th, 2005 at the Montreal Municipal Court. The citizens
will plead defence by necessity, meaning that even though their
action was illegal, it was justified by the imminence of danger
to the public interest posed by the incinerator. “We want
to make sure that Bennett Environmental will sit in the Accused
Box during this trial. This company is the guilty party in this
case! They are guilty of negligence towards the citizens, of no
respect of procedures, of environmental norms, of a lack of transparency,
of falsifying some facts and the list keeps getting longer. Our
action was legitimate, even though it was illegal. Our action
was trying to prevent a bigger imminent danger, in this case being
the deliberate poisoning of a whole community and of an ecosystem,”
said Jean-François Dupuis, one of the arrested.
The seven environmentalists are being supported by many individuals,
public personalities and organisations, including: the Coalition
montréalaise pour une gestion écologique et économique
des déchets (Action RE-buts), the Comité de Vigilance
Environnementale de l'Est de Montréal (CVEEM), Solidarité
rurale du Québec, la Fédération Autonome
Collégiale, singer Richard Desjardins, actor André
Montmorency, Bloc Québécois MP's, Raynald Blais
(Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine) andt Bernard Bigras (Rosemont-Petite-Patrie).
Source: Bennett en procès
Media Contacts: (514) 581-0937 (Montreal)
(418) 534-3003 poste 267 (Gaspe)
(506) 826-2648 (New Brunswick)
Schedule of events for the Bennett en procès campaign
Montréal area
Public Conference
Saturday, February 26th from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
At 'UQAM, Room SH-3420
200 Sherbrooke West
Toxicologist and environmentalist, Daniel Green (Sierra Club)
will speak about the impact of the incinerator on human health
and local bio diversity. Florian Levesque (Environnement Vie),
will also be there as an active participant to the Return to Sender
Coalition.
Political analyst, Jacques Mascotto and environmentalist Pierre
Véronneau (Coalition Québec-vert-Kyoto) will lead
a public debate on resistance actions developed by the environmental
movement. The issue of civil disobedience will be part of the
discussion as a mean of resistance when political and legal actions
recourse have been exhausted.
Organised in collaboration between the Groupe de Recherche en
Intérêt Public de l'Université du Québec
à Montréal (GRIP -UQAM).
Theatrical Presentation
Tuesday March 1st at 12 :30 P.M .
In front of the Montreal Municipal Court
775 Gosford St. (Champs-de-mars Subway)
Actors will take front stage as they will hold a comedy trial
of Bennett Environmental.
Benefit Concert
With Karavan Kaya
and KALIROOTS
Thursday March 3rd at 8 :00 P.M.
At the CAFÉ CAMPUS
57, Prince-Arthur East
This benefit concert will be in solidarity with the seven environmentalists.
Kaliroots et Karavan Kaya will offer this concert to collect funds
supporting the legal costs of the experts that will come and testify
during the trial.
Tickets: Only 15$ (tx. incl.)
On sale at : Café Campus, Oblique, Anges Vagabonds, Utopik,
Réseau Admission
The Trial
From March 1st to March 4th, 9 :30 A.M to 5 :00 P.M.
Montreal Municipal Court
775 Gosford St.
(Champs-de-mars Subway)
The seven environmentalists who participated in a peaceful occupation
of Paul Martin's riding office on March 22nd, 2004 are accused
of mischief (3 counts) and preventing police office to carry out
their duties. They risk having a criminal record for their actions.
During their trial, they will plead « defence by necessity
», meaning that will demonstrate that their actions were
illegal but legitimate because of the imminent danger to public
interest posed by the project.
The citizens will have to demonstrate that the incinerator was
a real threat to public health and local bio diversity. For their
defence, they will call various expert witness, including Paul
Connett world recognised American expert in chemistry and environmental
toxicology. These expert witness statements will be very important
as they could be used in other environmental litigation. A favourable
ruling for the citizens would become an important precedent in
terms of incinerator construction in Canada.
Please note that citizens are welcome to the trial and that daily
scrums for reporters will be held.
Gaspe
Press Conference
Saturday, February 26th, 5 :00 P.M. to 7 :00 P.M.
Maria Community Centre
Organised by the Return to Sender Coalition
Benefit Concert
Saturday February 26th at 7 :00 P.M.
Maria Community Centre
Will be featured :
Show by the Barratte à Beurre group and many other Gaspe
artists; Direct Art Creations and Auction !
All profits will go toward helping the seven environmentalists
trial.
For more information...
On Bennett, the Belledune incinerator and the resistance movement
: http://www.stopbennett.com/
For the Return to Sender Coalition events in Gaspe : http://www.baiedeschaleurs.net
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