INVITATION TO VOICE YOUR OPINION ON MAY 22, 2007 AT 7:30 P.M.

Québec, May 8, 2007 –  The commission of the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE), chaired by Mr. John Haemmerli, will be holding, on May 22^nd , the second part of the public hearing on the Lac Opasatica, Lac des Quinze, Forêt Piché-Lemoine and Réservoir Decelles Biodiversity Reserve projects in the natural province of the Abitibi and James Bay Lowlands. In the course of this second part of the public hearing, the commission will hold sessions at the following locations:

Sessions could be added depending on the number of briefs presented to the commission. Other sessions are also planned with concerned aboriginal communities.

This second part will be devoted to hearing the briefs of 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, opinions and suggestions of participants before drafting the report that will be submitted to the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.

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, opinions on the project as a whole, concerns related to the project and, as the case may be, any suggestions and comments likely to improve it. Those individuals who do not wish to write a brief can express their opinion verbally at the public hearing. A verbal 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 sessions of the hearing, 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, as soon as possible, Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin, by calling 418 643-7447 or, toll-free, 1 800 463-4732, extension 420. The tabling of a brief without 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 May 18, 2007, to the secretary of the BAPE, at 575, rue Saint-Amable, bureau 2.10, Québec (Québec) G1R 6A6, to the attention of Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin.

Persons wishing to submit their brief by e-mail can address it to:
4reserves-abitibi-temiscamingue@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 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 under the heading “Mandats en cours”.

Individuals wishing to obtain more information can get in touch with Ms. Anne-Lyne Boutin, coordinator of the commission’s secretariat, or Ms. Rosemary Al-Hayek, communications advisor, by calling the 418 643-7447 or, toll-free, 1 800 463-4732 or by e-mail at the following address:
4reserves-abitibi-temiscamingue@bape.gouv.qc.ca.

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Source: Rosemary Al-Hayek, communications advisor
418 643-7447 or 1 800 463-4732, extension 425