Les amis de la rivière Kipawa
Report of the President to the AGM
June 26th, 2010
Les amis, with the broad support of its membership was able to pay off its court costs:
Les Amis de la riviere Kipawa vs The Attorney General of Canada and al
Court File No. A-4-08 file: 5-378838 $2,463.51
Court File NO. 5-378838 S.C.C. 32874 Judgement January 29, 2009 $1,949.24
Total $4412.75
Les Amis received a letter from crown attorney Vincent Vielleux advising that its expenses had been paid in full, our cheque from treasurer Francois in the amount of $2083.80 having been received. He wished us well in paddling the Kipawa for years to come. The total amount raised wa $6,787. We thank the donors for the support which has enabled Les Amis to move forward with its mission to protect and preserve the ecological and recreational values of the Kipawa River. The details of the donations are available on my personal blog posted December 12, 2009 at http://allaboutwhitewater.blogspot.com.
Of special note were the large donations from Esprit Rafting and our attorney at lower court: Rob Monti.
Leading up to this the executive of Les Amis had planned a General Meeting to consider whether or not it should declare bankruptcy. Fortunately this was obviated by the donations raised by the membership. Only two members attended the meeting. Members voted with their donations.
Les amis was a signatory to a petition in a coalition with 14 other environmental groups to have the proposed changes to the CEAA stripped from the budget – OMNIBUS Bill c-9. This bill is currently at the level of the senate. This was consistent with our earlier efforts to stall bill c-20 which gutted the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
Unfortunately, due to lack of water, not lack of cooperation from the Federal Government, the 24th Kipawa River Rally was cancelled. Members are encouraged to attend the Kipawa River Lodge at the AGM June 25,26, 27th, 2010. I would like to thank the Federal Department of Public Works , Goods and Services Canada for their ongoing support of Les Amis in hosting their Kipawa River Rally.
Les Amis continues to be a member of the Canadian Environmental Network.
Les Amis made inquires concerning the designation of the Kipawa River as a World Heritge Site.
Les Amis met with Innergex by teleconference to learn of their plans for water diversion for the Kipawa River. It was learned that the Kipawa River had been diverted for about 50 years from 1905 through 1968.
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the executive of Les Amis has presented plaques of appreciation and recognition to Rob Monti, Doug Skeggs and Jim Coffey for their tireless efforts to protect and preserve the Kipawa River from 2006 through 2010.
Its been quite a year. For 2010 onwards Les Amis' s position: 'No diversion of the Kipawa' faces immediate opposition from the local Algonquin bands as they want their Innergex project to proceed. Hydro Quebec wants its Tabaret project to proceed. The township of Laniel has a mayor who has been tasked to try and push the Tabaret project at the level of the MRC.
I thank my fellow executive members, our award recipients, and the membership for their support over the past year.