As we enter a week of talking about the capitalscene and affects, a horrific and stunning series of events is taking place in Oka, Quebec, about 45 minutes by car away from Montreal: a newly formed mining company with extremely dubious history is attempting - while using the language of community consent, ecological mindfulness and intra-community dialogue - to reopen the old St Lawrence Columbium mine. With promises of huge cash payouts, infrastucture and employment, Eco-Niobium is re-opening a debate that the citizens of Oka have TWICE quelled in recent history: In 2002 and 2011. Oka, the site of the 1990 crisis, a land and rights dispute between the municipality and the Kanesetake Mohawks (here the municipality was totally in the wrong), is facing a nefarious campaign of subversive baiting this THIRD time that already has city council and the (potentially) the Mohawk Chief on board.
This mine will require massive interference of the water table, in a rich agricultural region. The Agropur factory (Oka Cheese) is mere hundreds of meters away; as is the lake of two mountains and the nearby Oka National Park. Many residents are at risk of being forcibly displaced. They are promising new water purification systems, roads and hydraulics. The region already has higher-than-permitted uranium soil contamination from previous mining activities. All of these previously established industries, essential to the character of the village, are put at risk by this proposal, as is the eco-tourism industry.
In sum:
The communities of Oka and Kanesetake have recently been plunged into a battle with a big mining business, Eco-Niobium, which seems to have the support of the town council. This project risks the safety of the residents of Oka, the agricultural industry of the region, and the reliability of our ground water.
Additionally, various sub-groups within the community are being played off each other (farmers, villagers, Mohawks), the last thing a community with a long history of colonialism and racial violence needs.
A proposal:
Affect and the Anthropocene is caught up with, and implicated by, questions of what constitutes environmentalism, indigenous land rights, water safety, community an commerce; we should be interested in this conflict. The town of Oka is holding a town hall meeting on April 4, 19:00 at the Oka church. In conversation with Erin, I have proposed that we rent a bus, departing at 5:30 pm from Concordia, and observe this town hall meeting in the historic town centre of Oka. After, we can walk up the street (two blocks) to my partner's country house where we can discuss the affective poilitics at play, this week's reading in the Capitalscene. I will have some snacks prepared and invite you all to bring food to share while we meet. I can share what I know of the region's phenomenal history of not only conflict, but cooperation (at times) and its colonial legacy. The bus will depart for Montreal at 10:00 pm with a drop off at Concordia.
While there are more images in the articles linked below, I have embedded one from the mining site, which I 'trespassed' on earlier this week.
Resources:
Please start here, at the community's facebook page. Large portions of it are fiercely pushing back, but I suspect that the local governments are receiving kickbacks. The process of community consultation is in NO WAY an indication that this project will not go through!! Some excellent information has been collected here,
https://www.facebook.com/contrelamine/
http://www.ledevoir.com/environnement/actualites-sur-l-environnement/466768/eco-niobium-une-compagnie-racoleuse
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/montreal/2016/03/22/001-projet-de-mine-de-niobium-a-oka.shtml
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSnMKWlyqkpa+1c0+MKW20160323
https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/cc/CorporationsCanada/fdrlCrpDtls.html?corpId=9339337
Let us know if you're excited by this proposition so we can make a decision about next week's class!
ReplyDeleteI would love to do this.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's interesting and lived! I was itching to move and hands-on. I have a car (three-four seats). Looking for a spot to sleep in MTL that evening if someone offers!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good idea as long as we maintain observer status.
ReplyDeleteMy replies haven't been going through, it seems: I totally agree. This is the town hall meeting where constituents square off against their council and it makes more sense to observe at this pivotal moment and comment/plan after.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for making this proposition and for your generous invitation. I'd love to attend this event, and even more I'd like to be able to take up your offer to attend a reception at your partner's home, but for the sake of time I'd like to make one amendment to the plan. As it is final's next week - and many of us will be balancing projects/getting enough sleep - I suggest that we plan to leave Oka after the town hall finishes, which I gather would be around 9pm at the latest? This way we could get back downtown for when class normally wraps. In which case I suggest that we bring pack-lunches (dinners) and plan to discuss the Capitalocene on the bus there and back. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts were that it would be nice to land and experience a second rhythm of the community. And eat and talk about the reading a bit. To Montreal from Oka is 45 minutes. We could leave a bit earlier, 930 and have you back by the time class normally lets out - and the town hall should* be only an hour, hour and a half. Hard to have a group convo on a bus...
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ReplyDeleteThanks Matthew for the invitation. I'm totally up for it, but just have a few thoughts:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jillian in that I think there is a delicate line here in terms of how we intervene in this community group, showing solidarity without taking over proceedings. That said, it seems that Matthew, and maybe other members of the class, are actually involved in the community. So I think people can make the choice, based on their own assertions, on how involved to get in the meeting.
Also I see that we do need to be mindful of the time, but that these sorts of opportunities seem to evade sticking to a strict timetable - as much as we can try. The 9.30 leaving time seems to be a good thing to aim for...
I appreciate what you are saying, I'd like to be able to do both things too, but many of us have a class from 1:15pm to 5:15pm on Monday, so it's a very long day. Personally, I'd be most comfortable if we could plan to be back at Concordia for 10pm (and budget in 15min of breathing room, in case of traffic) which means leaving Oka at 9pm.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, we won't do it if it causes stress or if it doesn't work for the large majority. So please don't feel anxious. It doesn't make much sense to me to do it if we don't have time to sit down and talk since it is unlikely that talking about the Capitalocene will work well in a bus... So do feel free to say if it's too much... I think it's a great thing, but it did come at the last minute 2 weeks before the end of term on a very long day for most of you!
ReplyDeleteI've been having a hard enough time doing the 1-10 thing as it is even without the added work of finals, I'm gonna have to vote no.
ReplyDeleteWe can have emissaries. How about those who want to go could connect in to the class by Skype in the second part (after the town hall)? I will stay back and be with the folks for whom it's too long a day to add Oka (which I completely understand).
ReplyDeleteHave to say, if you're considering staying behind to hold class it makes the decision a little harder...
DeleteBecky, sorry to complicate things!!! It's just that we have heard from so few... FILM STUDENTS: WHERE ARE YOU??????????
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DeleteIt's disappointing that you may not be able to make it Erin - I feel like there seems to be a lot of interest here but who know what's going on in the privacy of email! I am still planning on being present, and to add to the drama: itnow appears that the corporation has offered the Kanesetake five million dollars per year for schools and infrastructure; by population, an incentive of 10 times the value of that offered to the township of Oka. There are many Mohawks against the mine, I hear, but the same play to the leadership is happening on two fronts. How should we take a final count of who is going? This will decided on means of transportation. Please speak up if you have a car (Thanks Cricri!)
ReplyDelete...If if we have really reliable info that this mine is wrong we shouldn't neglect to protest it just because our own inconvenience... on the other hand economic activity supports social services so we shouldn't protest it unless we can verify that it is really abhorrent.
ReplyDelete...I need more data... (which can be acquired by attending the meeting)
I have no problem attending. But would like to know the full details regarding transport. Time is not an issue for me. Best regards.
ReplyDeleteHI everyone! I sent a transport email out, with a corresponding doodle. Get in touch if you didn't receive it.
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Thanks everyone! I've been convinced - we can do this! There's enough enthusiasm to carry it and those of you who can't make it can connect in by Skype either from home or through SenseLab. I hope this works for all! Please read Capitalocene as planned. We will likely discuss it both this week and next (with Donna Harraway). I will rent cars but need everyone to fill the doodle so I can know how many cars. Please also do let us know if you can drive (especially those wanting to come home earlier). I'll rent the cars close to Concordia and will post details as soon as I know more.
DeleteLooking forward to this. Thank you Matthew and Erin for all your efforts to organize this! Sorry for the late response.
ReplyDeleteJill, thanks for your response! Shall we still bring snacks for afterwards at Matthews? I can bring some sweets and fruit?
ReplyDeleteYes I will bring some salad or veggie based! I'll see what looks good at the market, but I'll plan it to be savory!
DeleteI'll be working in the West Island this afternoon so I'll plan to meet you at the Oka church at 7.
ReplyDeleteI see there are several churches in Oka....does anyone know which one?
ReplyDeleteI posted the address in the google map email; but it is the big big old church in the centre of town...
Delete181 des Anges, Oka