INVITATION TO VOICE YOUR OPINION ON NOVEMBER 21, 2006 AT 7:30 P.M

Québec, November 9, 2006 – The commission of the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE), chaired by Mr. Pierre Béland, will be holding, on November 21^st, the second part of the public hearing on the Belmont and Magpie lakes massif, Lac aux Sauterelles knolls, Guernesé lake foothills and Brador hills biodiversity reserve projects in the Lower North Shore Plateau natural province. In the course of this second part of the public hearing, the commission will hold the following sessions:

Sessions could be added depending on the needs of participants and the commission.

This second part will be devoted to hearing the briefs of those individuals, municipalities, organizations and groups wishing to express their opinion to the commission as well as to the oral suggestions and opinions of the public.

Public participation is essential

Public participation is essential for the commission. It allows the commission to hear the arguments and opinions of the community before drafting the report that will be submitted to the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Mr. Claude Béchard.

Writing a brief

A brief is a document that presents opinions or concerns on a specific subject. It allows the author to develop and state the arguments in support of this opinion.

As a general rule, a brief contains the following elements : a short presentation of the individual, the group, the organization or the municipality tabling the brief, a brief explanation of the interest that the author has in the project(s), opinions on the project(s) as a whole, concerns related to the project(s) and, finally, any suggestions and comments likely to improve the project(s) and enlighten the commission. Those individuals who do not wish to write a brief can express their opinion orally at the public hearing. An oral presentation may be developed in the same way as a brief .

This advice is provided for information purposes only. It is also available on the English section of the BAPE’s website under the heading Taking part.

Presenting and submitting a brief

To ensure the smooth planning of the unfolding of the public session, every individual, group, organization or municipality wishing to make known its point of view by either presenting a brief or giving an oral presentation is asked to inform Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin , by calling 418 643-7447 or, toll-free, 1 800 463-4732, extension 420. The tabling of a brief without a public presentation is also possible.

To allow the commission to read the brief prior to the public session, the document that will be presented must be sent, no later than November 17, 2006, to the secretary of the BAPE, at 575, rue Saint-Amable, bureau 2.10, Québec, G1R 6A6, to the attention of Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin.

Persons wishing to submit their brief by e-mail must address it to: reserves_basse_cote_nord@bape.gouv.qc.ca and an original copy will have to follow by mail . As soon as the briefs have been made public, they will be tabled in the consultation centres and disseminated on the BAPE’s website.

Available documentation

You can consult the documents related to the projects as well as the transcripts of the sessions of the first part of the hearing at the BAPE office in Québec, at the Bibliothèque centrale de l’Université du Québec à Montréal and at the following locations:

The documentation can also be consulted at any time on the BAPE’s website at the following address: www.bape.gouv.qc.ca .

Individuals wishing to obtain more information can get in touch with Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin, coordinator of the commission’s secretariat, or Ms. Catherine Roberge, communications advisor, by calling the 418  643-7447 or, toll-free, 1 800 463-4732 or by e-mail at the following address: reserves_basse_cote_nord@bape.gouv.qc.ca.

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SOURCE: Catherine Roberge, communications advisor
418 643-7447, extension 531
1 800 463-4732