- Access had been denied on the grounds of confidentiality
- A deputy has introduced a motion
- The 111 present deputies voted in favour of the motion
- Journalists now have access to the government’s public consultations on the mining sector
On Thursday 27 April 2023 the Legault government in Quebec, after having refused journalists access to public consultations on mining activity, finally supported a motion asking that their presence be allowed. This information was published by the news website “L’Actualité”. The same news site states that the motion, which “recalls that access for journalists to public consultations conducted by the government should not be hindered”, was presented by Liberal MP Michelle Setlakwe.
The latter insisted on “allowing the presence of journalists at the public consultation on the harmonious development of mining activity held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry”.
The 111 present deputies voted in favour of the motion, including the deputy for Rimouski and Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry at the heart of the dispute, Maïté Blanchette Vézina.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry had on Wednesday cited the need for participants to be able to discuss freely among themselves, in complete confidentiality, as the reason for denying journalists access.
The Quebec Professional Federation of Journalists (FPJQ) had protested, stressing that the mining claims boom was of concern to citizens and municipalities, and that journalists should be able to inform the population.
Summary by Rachid Ouedraogo
#Mines_Actu_Burkina
