Movement
What did the MARE do in his 3rd year ?
The environmental crisis stems from an economic system that puts profits before life. This is not a problem that we can solve individually. It is by coming together that we can think of making a real difference.
The list of our actions for the past year proves that it is possible to act in order to dream of a healthier environment and a more just society allowing the survival of species and humanity in the long term.“
What about the 3rd year of MARE actions ? Does this movement still live up to our aspirations ? Does it contribute, concretely, to make a difference and to connect people and struggles ?
Let's do a brief overview of this 3rd year, in order to assess the relevance of the MARE, today.
Awareness
- Organization of the activity “Declaration of love to trees in danger” aiming to take a picture with a heart in a threatened forest in collaboration with the Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac eco-citizen group and MARE Laurentians.
- The MARE takes over from Crivert for the educational activity of planting a thousand oak acorns in primary schools as part of the project “A tree, a life”.
- Participation in a interview on the show “TVSO interview” from TVSO (Interview of the MARE Program)
- Assistance in the organization and presentation of the second edition of the activity “The dance of the firefliesby Martin Larochelle, in collaboration with the Small Green Wood Protection Committee and Crivert.
Manifestations, gatherings and events
- Participation at the start for the Great March for the Protection of Forests in Ripon.
- Participation in the march for the climate in Montreal.
- Organization of an event in support of the Great March for the Protection of Forests in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.
- Participation in a demonstration in support of the Great March for the Protection of Forests in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac in collaboration with the eco-citizen group of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac.
- Participation in a march for the protection of Sandy Beach (Save Sandy Beach) and a discussion with the candidates for the municipal election on this subject.
- 4 rallies in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en in front of the RBC in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.
- Organization of a earth day gathering in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in collaboration with the TROVEP Montérégie and the Valleyfield Youth Center.
- Participation in the Vigil for the future of the world organized by Mothers at the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Front.
- Participation au “environment panel” organized by Nature Hudson following the screening of the documentary “Sandy Beach : Protecting our Wetlands” produced by Terra Humana Solutions.
Concrete actions
- Harvest over 4000 oak acorns during the activity “A tree, une vie” which will also lead to a small MARE nursery project.
- Participation in the “Carbon neutral mileage” tree planting of Crivert.
- To participate in 3 shoreline cleanups organized by the Haut-Saint-Laurent ZIP in Pointe-des-Cascades, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and Les Coteaux.
- Participation of volunteers in food forest project by Judy Levac-Bourbonnais in collaboration with the city of Coteau-du-Lac.
- Participation in the cleaning activity of the municipality of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield as part of Earth Day.
- Organization of a don de 150 trees (in collaboration with the club 4H and the Ministry of Forests, wildlife and parks) in the municipality of Most Holy Redeemer.
- Contribution to the organization and participation in a cleaning chore in collaboration with the green squad of Rigaud.
Actions linked to the political world
- Publication of video clips where the MARE questions candidates in the federal election (Salaberry-Suroît and Vaudreuil-Soulanges) on environmental issues.
- Submission of press releases to the RCMs to request better protection of natural environments :
- Help with organization and participation in a electoral debate on the environment, in collaboration with “In Chateauguay, what city do we want?” in the context of municipal elections, with the help of Vire au vert.
- Technical support to Nature Hudson for a electoral debate on the environment in the context of municipal elections.
- Meeting about Wet’suwet’en case against CGL pipeline with the MP for Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Peter Schiefke.
- Deposit of a memory with the elected officials of Hudson as part of a public consultation on their urban plan.
- Tour of municipal councils for the climate in order to request membership of the Climate emergency declaration or at the United for the climate platform of the UMQ as well as the development of a climate plan.
- Chateauguay adopts the United for the climate platform.
- Coteau-du-Lac adopts the United for the climate platform.
- Saint Lazare adopts the United for the climate platform.
- Most Holy Redeemer adopts the United for the climate platform.
- Rigaud adopts the United for the climate platform.
- St. Martha adopts the United for the climate platform.
- 2e meeting about the Wet’suwet’en case against CGL pipeline with MP Peter Schiefke (MP for Vaudreuil-Soulanges), but also, this time, with Jaime Battiste, MP for Sydney-Victoria (New Scotland) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
- Meeting with the provincial deputy for Beauharnois, Calude Reid, for environmental and social justice, in collaboration with the TROVEP Montérégie.
- Meeting with the environmental service of the municipality of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and environmental organizations to determine, for the first time jointly with an eco-citizen group, environmental priorities for the coming year.
- Writing a draft regulation “turnkey” for municipalities, regulating the use of pesticides, in collaboration with Mothers at the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Front and with the help of GMO monitoring as well as Network Demain le Québec of the David Suzuki Foundation.
- Contact with different municipalities to present the proposed regulation on pesticides :
- Coteau-du-Lac
- Ormstown
- Most Holy Redeemer
- The Coteaux
- Saint-Anicet
- St. Polycarp
- Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
- Riviere-Beaudette
- The Cedars
- Participation in a collaborative workshop of the city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield with the aim of developing a citizen consultation policy.
- Creation of a Climate Guide to help municipalities develop a climate action plan (on going redaction).
Consolidation of the MARE Natural Environment Protection Network
The MARE has actively collaborated with many groups involved in the MARE Natural Environment Protection Network by participating in organizational meetings, giving advice, by being present during activities, by giving visibility on our various platforms or our support for press releases or petitions.
The participation of members of these groups in the MAREcredi Network also allows the exchange of ideas between people with very rich experiences in the fight for the protection of the environment..
- Support for the protection of humid woodlands in the Grande-Île sector, in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.
- Group for the protection of fauna and flora of the Barrière park (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield)
- Save the Fairview Forest (Pointe Claire)
Collaboration with citizens and environmental groups
- The MARE offers the Network Demain le Québec of the David Suzuki Foundation, to the Society for Nature and Parks Quebec as well as Nature Quebec to meet in order to work on better collaboration for the protection of natural environments. Have now added to this group, after 2 met, the Quebec Center for Environmental Law, the Valleyfield and Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac as well as Rivers Foundation. This beginning of collaboration is very promising !
- The MARE becomes a member of the Quebec Hydrocarbons vigilance group in order to be able to get involved more effectively in files affecting hydrocarbons in our region.
- Participation in a press conference and national petition for the protection of old golf courses (Golf Courses in Transition Coalition).
- Partnership during an event with the Environmental Citizen Mobilization Coalition of Laval.
- Collaboration with MARE Laurentians.
- Help to Save the forest from the extension of the highway 25 (Sainte-Julienne) and participation in a demonstration in opposition to the extension of the motorway 25.
- Support for Coalition holding Air Saint-Hubert for a moratorium on airport development.
- Help for citizens of La Mitis in their fight against the expansion of a landfill site.
- Sharing of MARE Citizen Guide for the Protection of Natural Environments with many groups.
Operation of the MARE
- The MARE Communications Committee, currently composed of 7 people, continues to work on the proper functioning of all our platforms (Site web, Newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Interview "Long version" TVSO, couriers), but also to the coordination of the movement and to daily decision-making.
- Many public meetings, online and in person continued to allow the MARE to coordinate all of its action campaigns, but also to think about different issues. So, since July 2021 (time of our last review), we held
- 10 MAREcredis On organise
- 9 MAREcredis We organize a Network
- 3 MAREcredis On jase
- Countless committee meetings
Therefore, the MARE, after 3 years of existence, does it still have an impact ?
MARE now counts 400 members subscribed to the newsletter and nearly 2200 Facebook subscribers.
Just take a look at all our actions this year to understand the effervescence that characterizes our citizen movement.
What, Nevertheless, is probably the most striking, it is the incredible network of collaboration that is established between the MARE, citizen groups involved in the construction of the MARE Natural Environment Protection Network, environmental NPOs, citizen groups and volunteers and citizens.
The immense challenges that we will have to face in the coming years in order to fight effectively against the environmental crisis require the union of all the living forces likely to change this world in order to allow our generations, but also to those who will follow, to keep hope. This year, the SEA a, indisputably, been a key player at this level in the region and wishes to become even more so in the coming months.
Without the volunteer involvement of all these energetic members, of ideas, of projects, the MARE would be nothing.
Merci !
Martin Legault
