Our governments knew it.

In 2004, the Ministry of the Environment knew that the citizens of Rouyn-Noranda were abnormally exposed to arsenic.

The Charest government tried to negotiate, failed, and then the status quo remained.

At the CAQ, we were thus aware of the situation.

This did not prevent Prime Minister Legault from affirming that “the risks were minimal” in 2019. And to the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charrette, from accusing MP Émilise Lessard-Therrien of “exacerbating his concerns disproportionately”.

It took journalistic investigations and a titanic work of the united deputy for the CAQ to move.

Environment

The Horne Foundry reveals the close capacity for action of our Ministry of the Environment.

He is completely ousted from the file.

We still do not know the emission targets required by the government.

Minister Charette refused to come forward, saying that it was up to public health to say. Public Health instead passed the buck to the Minister. Since then, the ball has not been found.

Many departments are involved. It is Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy, who negotiates with the representatives of the Foundry.

Question of health, it is to the Ministry of Health that we must refer.

And it is now the office of PM Legault who comments on the file.

The question: where is our Ministry of the Environment and its minister in all this fighting?

Standing back, nodding and defending government action.

Mission

It is the place of this ministry that must be contested.

It is still today a junior ministry, with a ridiculously limited budget and powers, which acts primarily as a guide to economic promoters.

A toothless ministry, subject to economic forces, very far from its original mission developed in 1976 by the PQ and a certain Marcel Léger.

It's a showcase ministry, what!

A ministry that serves to spread our good feelings and give us a good conscience in the face of our inaction.