Press release - July 26, 2009
Two teams of Greenpeace activists have been arrested for blockading the offices of the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources today to protest against the ministry’s approval of the destruction of the last remaining intact forest areas in the province.
The first group of eight activists blockaded the offices at 5
a.m. Some chained themselves to the front doors, others set up a
banner reading "Boreal Forest: the Destruction Starts Here." They
also dumped a load of lumber made by AbitibiBowater, the biggest
and most destructive logging company in Quebec, at the entrance to
the building. This group was arrested at 1:30 p.m.
As the first group was being arrested, a second team of eight
activists blockaded the two entrances of the building's parking
garage. They locked themselves together with metal tubes around
their arms. The eight were arrested at around 3:30 p.m.
''For many years Greenpeace has asked the Minister of Natural
Resources to take significant action to protect the Boreal Forest
in Quebec,'' said Nicolas Mainville, Greenpeace forest
campaigner.'' Instead of doing this, the Charest government has put
forward a new forestry law (Bill 57) that, in its current form,
will mean the further degradation of these forests and the eventual
disappearance of woodland caribou."
The blockade at the ministry offices has had an effect.
Greenpeace will meet with Minister Nathalie Normandeau on Wednesday
at her offices in Montreal.
'We hope the Minister will commit to changing the law and
preventing further destruction of the Boreal Forest by companies
such as AbitibiBowater," said Mainville.'
For high-resolution photos of the
action :
www.greenpeace.ca/gallery
For more information
Nicolas Mainville, Forest Campaigner Greenpeace :
514-214-0843
Isabelle Monette, Media Officer, Greenpeace : 514-212-5749.