Unfortunately, it is common practice for majority governments of all political stripes to use closure prior to the summer and December recess of the National Assembly to pass legislation. But it is rare to use it at the end of March.
Despite strong and vocal opposition from municipal officials, community groups, unions, all of
the opposition parties in the National Assembly and of course a countless number of
Quebecers – many of whom took to the streets on several occasions – the Legault government
tonight is ramming through legislation to the benefit of Stablex, an American hazardous waste
management company.
This alarming and unwarranted legislation forces the City of Blainville to surrender ecologically
valuable land for the expansion of Stablex’s operations. Its waste facility treats and buries
materials that come from the mining and pharmaceutical industries, among others. The waste
comes from Quebec but also from the United States and other Canadian provinces.
Using closure despite significant local opposition and environmental concerns sets a troubling
precedent where corporate interests appear to override both environmental safeguards and
municipal autonomy.
The target of this land appropriation – Blainville’s large peat bog – is a crucial ecological
resource with irreplaceable environmental value. Peat bogs are among the world’s most
effective natural carbon sinks, storing vast amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute
to climate change. Destroying portions of this ecosystem for industrial expansion directly
contradicts Quebec’s climate commitments.
The property is also home to rare birds, as well as a wide variety of other wildlife including fox,
porcupine and deer.
Thirdly, peat bogs naturally filter groundwater and regulate water flow, providing essential
ecosystem services that protect downstream water quality and mitigate flooding risks.
Stunningly, according to Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests,
sacrificing a natural environment of great ecological value, which borders a thousand-year-old
peat bog, to bury hazardous waste is ‘good for the environment.’
What is most troubling is the government’s willingness to disregard the explicit findings of the
Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE), our respected environmental
watchdog. In September 2023, the BAPE released a detailed report that unequivocally
described Stablex’s expansion project as “premature” and specifically recommended against
government authorization.
Not only is the Legault’s plan environmentally short-sighted, it is also bad governance. The
provincial government’s willingness to override the authority of the elected representatives of
Blainville is undemocratic and represents a troublesome centralization of power.
Plus, it is the Quebec taxpayer who is picking up the $17 million tab.
Rather than using closure, the Quebec government should consider more sustainable options.
It should introduce stronger regulations and incentives to reduce hazardous waste generation
at the source, invest in new advanced treatment technologies that reduce waste volume and
toxicity and conduct a thorough search for a permanent home for Stablex that explicitly
excludes ecologically sensitive areas. Pursuing this last option will take time, but the Quebec
government had earmarked a piece of land that it already owns for Stablex. Although this
approach is not a long-term answer, it would give us a fifteen year window to find a permanent
solution.
It is tragic that the Quebec government is disregarding the BAPE’s assessment and failing to
recognize the irreplaceable value of Quebec’s natural ecosystems and the fundamental
importance of evidence-based environmental governance. The protection of Blainville’s peat
bog is not merely a local issue but a test case for Quebec’s commitment to sustainable
development and environmental protection. And, most importantly, the path chosen by the
Legault government is undemocratic and indicative of their “father knows best” style of
leadership. As we wince at what is going on south of the border, we need to stand up to the
unacceptable use of closure to stifle opposition to an unpopular piece of legislation.
Note: This is an opinion letter by Virginie Dufour.
