Forest workers block their way to the First Nation Mamo group

Forest workers blocked the way to members of the First Nation Mamo group who wanted to start a new blockage at the Domtar sawmill in the Doré on Sunday afternoon.

About fifty employees of Domtar and their family members had established dams on the avenue des Jardins and in the Row Saint-Joseph, which give access to the factory.

Workers have said they wanted the First Nation Mamo group to stop taking their jobs in their pressure means.

The indigenous collective still wanted to access the sawmill, according to our information. Some demonstrators tried to pass, but they finally agreed to turn around.

The First Nation Mamo group asks the Domtar company to consult it during discussions on forest cuts involving its ancestral territories, as explained by the territory’s goalkeeper, Guy Paul.

We must put stronger pressure compared to what we did in the territory, he said in an interview with Radio-Canada. Domtar resolved does not seem to understand what we want in the territory and for the territory.

Sûreté du Québec agents were on site to ensure that there is no overflow.

The First Nation Mamo group has made several blockages of forest roads in recent months to show its dissatisfaction with Bill 97 on the new forest regime. In particular, he wishes to be consulted during decisions concerning forest cuts in his ancestral territories.

Reaction of the boreal forest alliance

The president of the Boréal Forest Alliance, Yanick Baillageon, argued in writing that he hopes to stop these blockages.

The more non-intervention there will be, the greater the risk of climbing, he said. To prevent people from making a living is dangerous. The Sûreté du Québec must intervene and governments too and put an end to all of this.

The Domtar company did not respond to our interview requests.

Other details will follow.

With information from Alexis Desnoyers Muckle