Pierce: And Now, Some Good News From Our Friends Up North

[babylonsister]

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19130097/canada-water-oil/

And Now, Some Good News From Our Friends Up North
A town in Canada shows us the way.
By Charles P. Pierce
Mar 6, 2018


Before Tuesday goes completely off the trolley in ways that nobody in their right minds would predict, let us pause and (yes) drink in the sweet nectar of an upset victory there in our neighbours to the North, because any time a giganto-energy company gets taken for its socks and underwear by a town with 157 people in it is a cause for flagons of Molson Ale and great mounds of poutine.

So, let’s give out with a loud “Bien joue!” to the good people of Ristigouche Sud-Est on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec who fought the good fight and by-god won it, too. From The Guardian:

The clash traces its roots to 2011, when the province granted a Montreal-based company, Gastem, drilling permits to search for oil and gas in the eastern part of the province. Construction began on a drilling platform in the township’s territory. Amid concerns from Ristigouche Sud-Est residents over how the drilling would affect municipal water sources, the town passed a bylaw in 2013 that set out a 2km (1.2-mile) no-drill zone around its water supply. Gastem shot back with a lawsuit that claimed residents had created an illegal bylaw to prevent the project from moving forward. The company’s initial C$1.5m ($1.2m) claim for damages was later reduced to C$984,676 – a figure that was more than three times the township’s annual budget.

Typical corporate behavior—money-whip the town until it submits. But Gastem had not reckoned with the stubbornness of the 157 people who live in Ristigouche Sud-Est, nor in the resolute determination of Madame Justice Nicole Tremblay of the Superior Court, who took her gavel upside the head of the corporate bullies. In her decision, Madame Justice Tremblay wrote:

“Far from being adopted in an untimely and hasty manner, the bylaw was the result of a serious effort to address the concerns and demands of Ristigouche’s citizens,” Judge Nicole Tremblay wrote in her decision. “Public interest, the collective well-being of the community and the safety of residents must be weighed for all projects introduced into a municipality.” In the absence of any existing provincial laws to protect water sources, the municipality had the right to create its own, the judge added. She ordered the company to cover half of the municipality’s legal fees as well as provide an additional C$10,000 to cover other costs incurred as a result of the lawsuit.

Down here, we have state legislatures passing laws denying the right of municipalities to create their own regulations regarding energy exploration or, say, firearms. In Canada, a little town fights for its right to keep its drinking water safe and the word spreads.

As Ristigouche Sud-Est waged the years-long legal battle, support poured in from across Canada. A crowdfunding campaign, launched in 2014 as the township grappled with the idea of legal fees that could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, has raised more than C$342,000 to date. Municipal officials estimated that the court battle cost about C$370,000 in legal fees and said any funds remaining would be donated to similar causes. “Today, we raise our glass of potable water to the health of Quebec’s water and to all of those who supported us,” said Boulay, the mayor. “Thanks to all of you, we were able to defend ourselves – and win.”

We follow water issues closely in this shebeen because it is the general opinion here in the snug that, between climate denialism and the ongoing crisis that is the thing being denied, we are going to have wars over water. So, we raise a glass as M. le Maire suggests. Félicitations pour votre victoire, mes amis, and a votre sante.

[Puzzler]

1. Thank you for posting this

-Puzzler

(Canadian )

[babylonsister]

2. O, Canada!

[ancianita]

3. They've earned the "united" part of our name more than we have.

[magicarpet]

4. The very same demons and monsters must be slayed....

.... no matter which side of the boarder. Corporatism is Fascism & Fascism is Corporatism. It is rigged accordingly so common folk almost never win at the game - unless they work and act together in unison toward a common goal.

[mountain grammy]

5. K & R

[malaise]

6. K & R

Great news