On social networks, demonstrators belonging to the First Nation Mamo group had announced their intention to block the Gold factory from 5 p.m. Sunday.
“Our plan is to get there and say” we close “to all workers, you go out, but you do not return,” confirmed Guy Paul, first nation spokesperson Mamo on Saturday evening. The Manifesto Group against Bill 97 on the new forest regime and wishes changes to forest practices.
To avoid blocking the sawmill, several dozen workers and citizens have taken matters into their own hands by organizing a peaceful counter-demonstration.
“Everything is very peaceful,” says Katty Gauthier, in a video published on Facebook. The goal of the workers and the population here is just to say our factory, we don’t want it to be blocked. ”
The Sûreté du Québec was informed of the situation and the police were present at the scene to avoid overflows. A command post has been set up and the SQ says that it will intervene if a criminal offense is committed.
The mayor of La Doré, Ghislain Laprise, wanted to go to the location of the demonstration, but he was suggested to stay at home to avoid politicizing the debate. “The SQ is there and everything is going well,” he said. People have the right to say they want to work. I am impressed and proud of the initiative taken by citizens and workers ”.
For the moment, Domtar prefers not to comment on the situation, while remaining on the lookout for developments.
First Nation Mamo studies its options
By seeing the counter-demonstration organized by the population, the members of First Nation Mamo met in the afternoon, in Mashteuiatsh, to assess their options, explains Guy Paul. “We will discuss the next actions to take,” he says.
In the evening, a dozen demonstrators set up a barricade in Saint-Prime. Guy Paul confirmed the information. “We are going to have reinforcements tomorrow,” he said, leaving the idea that the group could change targets.