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95-463: The dams and generating station are part of a huge hydroelectric complex with four dams that was launched in 2009 under the government of Jean Charest . At maximum level, the Romaine-3 reservoir area is 38.6 square kilometres (14.9 sq mi). The drawdown level is 13 metres (43 ft). Surface altitude varies from 352.8 to 365.8 metres (1,157 to 1,200 ft). The main dam is the second highest in

190-462: A minister of state , but resigned from cabinet in 1990 after improperly speaking to a judge about an active court case. He returned to cabinet in 1991 as the minister of the environment . Charest ran to succeed Mulroney as party leader and prime minister in the PCs' 1993 leadership election , but placed second to Kim Campbell . Charest served as Campbell's industry minister and deputy prime minister. After

285-465: A 60-year period to compensate for the effects of the dams, roads and electric transmission lines. Through these agreements, individual communities received between 14.5 and 75 million CDN. However, several Innu communities elected to not accept the compensation packages. Others are not able to come to terms with the destruction of their ancestral lands fearing that their history and culture could be washed away forever. An investigation and public hearing on

380-475: A counsel role, Charest refused. In January 2024, Charest decided to leave McCarthy Tétrault and joined the Therrien Couture Joli-Cœur group. On March 9, 2022, Charest announced that he would be a candidate for the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election . He had previously considered running in the 2020 leadership election , though he ultimately decided not to. With 16 per cent of

475-648: A historic third consecutive term as he brought the Liberals back to majority governance. It was the first time a party had won a third consecutive term in Quebec since the Quiet Revolution . On August 1, 2012, Charest launched his electoral campaign for the 2012 Quebec general election from the Quebec Jean-Lesage International Airport with the slogan For Quebec . The QLP focused its campaign on

570-647: A leader in the Canadian federation. Returning the Liberal Party of Quebec back to a majority government, after an eighteen-month stint led by Pauline Marois and the Parti Quebecois, Couillard assumed office on April 23, 2014, naming 26 ministers to his cabinet. After the Liberals were elected in April 2014, the budget deficit was nearly $ 6 billion. Couillard's government and his finance minister, Carlos Leitão , balanced

665-404: A point southeast of the main dam to the generating station south of the dam at PK155 on the river. A total of about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) of tunnels were excavated, including the headrace tunnel, penstocks and a surge chamber. The headrace tunnel is 1,662 metres (5,453 ft) long, 16 metres (52 ft) wide and 12 metres (39 ft) high. The generating station discharges into the head of

760-544: A snap election, Lieutenant Governor Pierre Duchesne dropped the writs for a general election at the request of Premier Pauline Marois . Couillard opted to run in the riding of Roberval , where he now lives, handing Outremont to star candidate Hélène David . When the election campaign began, polls showed a close race between the Parti Québécois and the Liberals. However, the PQ held a wide lead among francophone voters, giving

855-465: A traditional Tory stronghold where Reform had made significant inroads. In April 1998, Charest gave in to considerable public and political pressure, especially among business circles, to leave federal politics and become leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Charest was considered by many to be the best hope for the federalist QLP to defeat the sovereigntist Parti Québécois government. In

950-500: A year for the duration. The proposed plan, described as "a potential centrepiece" of Charest's political legacy, received the full support of the mining industry, the Crees and Inuit representatives but was met with scepticism and downright opposition by the Innus and most environmentalists. Charest also attempted to distinguish himself on the issue of the environment. His vocal opposition to

1045-608: Is associated with widespread neurological abnormalities, paresthesia and ataxia.” The primary controversy surrounding the La Romaine Hydroelectric Complex predominantly revolves around its impact on the Innu tribal group. The construction of the complex and its associated infrastructure has directly encroached upon the traditional lands of the Innu people. Specifically, the Ekuanitshit and Nutashkuan communities stand to face

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1140-487: Is flooded, the breaking down of labile organic carbon and subsequent changes in geochemical conditions causes the production of methylmercury (MeHg). In the newly created reservoirs of other Canadian hydroelectric dams, methylmercury levels have seen a 2.6-2.8 times increase in concentration. Innu communities regularly engage in traditional hunting practices of the local wildlife. However, this may cause biomagnification, exposing them to harmful levels of methylmercury. A study on

1235-556: Is fully bilingual in French and English. In the 1980 Quebec referendum , he failed to vote because he was getting married. Charest worked as a lawyer until he was elected Progressive Conservative member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding (electoral district) of Sherbrooke in the 1984 election . From 1984 to 1986, Charest served as Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole of

1330-459: The 1993 election , the PCs suffered the worst defeat for a governing party at the federal level. Only two of the party's 295 candidates were elected, Charest and Elsie Wayne . Charest himself was re-elected fairly handily in Sherbrooke, taking 56 per cent of the vote. As the only surviving member of what turned out to be the last PC Cabinet, Charest was appointed interim party leader and confirmed in

1425-511: The 1997 federal election , Charest campaigned on securing national unity in Canada by recognizing Quebec as being a distinct society within Canada, along with the proposal of a "New Covenant" for Canadian confederation to be negotiated between the federal and provincial governments. Charest and the PCs benefited from rapidly rising in popularity amongst all language groups in Quebec, where voters were found to have preferred Charest over Gilles Duceppe ,

1520-623: The 1998 election , the Quebec Liberals received more votes than the PQ, but because the Liberal vote was concentrated in fewer ridings, the PQ won enough seats to form another majority government. Charest won his own riding of Sherbrooke with a majority of 907 votes. In the April 2003 election , Charest led the Quebec Liberals to a majority, ending nine years of PQ rule. He declared he had a mandate to reform health care, cut taxes, reduce spending and reduce

1615-558: The 2007 election despite the Action démocratique du Québec 's (ADQ) strong performance in the region in which the party gained the majority of the seats. Pierre Arcand succeeded Couillard in the Mont-Royal riding. Couillard was reappointed as minister of health and social services, as well as minister responsible for the provincial Capitale-Nationale (Quebec) region. On June 25, 2008, Couillard announced his resignation as minister and MNA. He

1710-481: The 2012 election to the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois (PQ) and resigned as premier. After politics, Charest worked as a consultant, including for Huawei on the Meng Wanzhou case and for its 5G network plans in Canada, and joined McCarthy Tétrault LLP as a partner. Charest was a candidate in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election , finishing a distant second to Pierre Poilievre . Charest

1805-509: The Charter , and would feature greater protections for minority language rights in the provinces. The recommendations caused Mulroney's environment minister and Quebec lieutenant , Lucien Bouchard , to view the companion accord as a betrayal of Meech. Bouchard later resigned from Cabinet and founded the Bloc Québécois , a pro-sovereigntist party. Charest returned to cabinet as minister of

1900-601: The House of Commons . In 1986, at age 28, Charest was appointed to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney as minister of state (youth). He was the youngest cabinet minister in Canadian history. Charest was appointed minister of state (fitness and amateur sport) in 1988, but had to resign from cabinet in 1990 after improperly speaking to a judge about a case regarding the Canadian Track and Field Association . Charest

1995-636: The United Nations . Charest also voiced some support for the Calgary Declaration (1997), which recognized Quebec as "unique." During the debate in the Parliament of Canada over recognizing Quebec as a nation within Canada, Charest stated that Quebec was a "nation" no matter what other parts of Canada said—that this was not up to anyone else to define. In 2011, the Charest government decided to increase

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2090-583: The 29th premier of Quebec from 2003 to 2012. Prior to that, he was a member of Parliament (MP) between 1984 and 1998. After holding several Cabinet posts from 1986 to 1990 and from 1991 to 1993, he was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998. Born in Sherbrooke , Quebec , Charest worked as a lawyer before becoming an MP following the 1984 federal election . In 1986 he joined Brian Mulroney 's government as

2185-613: The Barreau du Québec, among others, expressing concern about possible infringement of constitutional rights. Bill 78 was revoked by the Pauline Marois government. On December 6, 2007, the Opposition urged Charest to testify to the House of Commons of Canada Ethics Committee in its investigation of Karlheinz Schreiber . Schreiber told the committee he paid $ 30,000 in cash to Charest's brother to help fund Charest's 1993 leadership bid for

2280-483: The Barrow’s Goldeneye, Sternidae, Boreal Pewee, Rusty Blackbird, and Kirtland’s Warbler. There were also concerns that the transmission lines connected to the plant may interfere with migrating birds. Additionally, there were allegations that Hydro-Québec had not considered the possible effects that the hydroelectric plant would have on specific species that were already experiencing population decline. Overall, there

2375-495: The Charest government. His accomplishments during his tenure included a $ 4.2 billion increase in the Quebec health budget, the prohibition of smoking in public places, and a reduction in the number of union local accreditations in the health sector. In 2007, Couillard ran in the riding of Jean-Talon in the Quebec City area, replacing Margaret Delisle who did not seek re-election for health reasons. Couillard won his seat in

2470-463: The Columbia River Basin were the main cause of juvenile fish mortality as the fish attempted to migrate downstream. The same study found that mitigation efforts benefited other fish species, but not salmon. It was questioned whether the proposed mitigation strategies would be effective enough to alleviate the effects of the dams on fish populations. As of October 2023, mitigation efforts included

2565-612: The Complex in October 2023. A 2009 joint review panel on the La Romaine Hydroelectric Complex highlighted the main areas of the environment that would be adversely affected by the creation of the dam and the subsequent water reservoirs would be the Woodland caribou population, birdlife, and fish populations. As a consequence of the diminishing available habitats resulting from the establishment of water reservoirs and extensive logging practices within

2660-479: The Grandes Chutes, sustaining their cultural practices and heritage. Importantly, the local Innu communities exhibit diverse perspectives regarding the merits of the project, lacking consensus on its potential outcomes and effects within their communities. This divergence of opinions further complicates the resolution of the ongoing debate surrounding the La Romaine Hydroelectric Complex. Some community members view

2755-404: The Innu communities, Hydro-Québec reached agreements of compensation with six local Québécois communities who would also be displaced by the hydroelectric project. These agreements are estimated to be worth more than $ 700 million CDN. These concerns came to a head a number of times throughout the years, causing plenty of controversies. In March 2012 Quebec Route 138 was blocked at Maliotenam by

2850-486: The Innu community. The work spaces of the project served as a place of conflict. There was an absence of meaningful intercultural relationships due to language barriers and separation of different trades, leading to Innu workers feeling as though they were experiencing discrimination, intimidation, and even racism. Of the Innu’s that were employed, almost all of them worked in the lowest paying, bottom rung jobs. Additionally, there

2945-415: The Innu, who were demanding compensation for the power lines on their territory. In June 2015 Route 138 was blocked at Pessamit and Maliotenam , and the access road to the construction site was blocked, by construction workers demanding that more local workers be hired. At the time, there were about 2000 workers employed at the project. Out of the 2000 workers, only 170 were Québécois and 144 were members of

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3040-591: The Liberals would be roundly defeated in the next election. Boisclair did not perform well as Leader of the Opposition, and Charest's numbers recovered somewhat. A poll conducted by Léger Marketing for Le Devoir placed the Liberals at 34 per cent against 32 per cent for the PQ and 24 per cent for the ADQ , with Charest obtaining a higher personal approval rating than the PQ leader. Liberal support, however remained heavily concentrated in Anglophone and Allophone ridings in

3135-469: The PCs' defeat in the 1993 election , Charest succeeded Campbell as party leader. He led the PCs to a minor recovery in the 1997 election . Charest left federal politics in 1998 and was elected to lead the Quebec Liberal Party , the province's main federalist political party. He became premier of Quebec after the Liberals won the 2003 provincial election . He won two more elections until he lost

3230-456: The Romaine complex after Romaine-2 . There are two dams, both completed in 2017. The main retaining dam is 95 metres (312 ft) high, with thalweg height of 92.8 metres (304 ft) and length of 415 metres (1,362 ft). The holding capacity is 1,878,000,000 cubic metres (6.63 × 10 cu ft). It is a rockfill dam with zoned core, built on treated rock. The smaller B3 dyke is west of

3325-519: The Romaine-2 reservoir, at a maximum elevation of 243.8 metres (800 ft). The generating station has installed capacity of 395 MW. Average annual energy production is 2 TWh, with a capacity factor of 0.58. The argument in favor for the construction of the La Romaine hydroelectric complex revolves around the positive economic and climate impacts that the project promised. It was estimated that

3420-666: The Tory leadership in 1993. However Charest himself says it was only $ 10,000 although federal leadership election rules permitted such cash donations. As of 2007, rules against such donations for provincial party leadership campaigns still do not exist in Québec. Charest placed a strong second to Defence Minister Kim Campbell , who had held a large lead going into the convention. Charest served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Science and Technology in Campbell's short-lived cabinet. In

3515-471: The advantage in terms of seat distribution to the PQ. Couillard stated that his campaign would focus on "healthcare, education and jobs". He also accused Premier Pauline Marois of mismanaging Quebec's economy, saying that "Quebec is living beyond its means". He also clarified his opposition to the Quebec Charter of Values , describing it as "an unnecessary bill that succeeds only in dividing Quebecers". Over

3610-415: The agreement signed in 2008. In March 2016 a court rejected the demand by Innu families of Uashat mak Mani-utenam to stop the project. In November 2016 there was controversy over the waste of wood cut in the reservoirs. Jean Charest John James " Jean " Charest PC ( French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ ʃɑʁɛ] ; born June 24, 1958) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as

3705-487: The appointment of judges in 2003. In response, the Charest government created the Bastarache commission, where Charest testified in defence. Charest however refused to launch a public inquiry into the collusion and financing of political parties and corruption in the construction industry, despite a 2011 survey indicating that 77 per cent of Quebecers demanded such an inquiry. Charest finally launched an inquiry in 2012 through

3800-408: The bioaccumulation of methylmercury noted the following: “In northern indigenous populations, increased MeHg exposure has been significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors for adults such as increased resting heart rate and heart rate variability, as well as increased incidence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children with high prenatal exposures. Acute MeHg toxicity

3895-429: The budget only one year later in 2015 through spending cuts and raising taxes. Couillard's government ran four consecutive balanced budgets during his tenure as premier. However, his cuts to education and healthcare spending caused his popularity to decline. Couillard's government removed protection of several preserved areas while authorizing logging in caribou land. The government claimed that this decision would grow

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3990-409: The city councils of the major cities were substantially weakened by the power of the mayors to go over the heads of opposition councillors and exercise power through their appointees to the agglomeration body. During his mandate as Premier, Charest made some efforts to expand the place of Québec in the international community. The province was granted representation at UNESCO , the cultural branch of

4085-530: The construction of the complex. The complex would create 8 TWh of electricity yearly, which would be enough to power 470,000 households. Hydroelectric power can be directly attributed to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector as hydroelectricity is the main source of energy for the residential, industrial and commercial sectors in Québec. The overall Romaine project was formally launched by Jean Charest in May 2009. A 150 kilometres (93 mi) road

4180-445: The course of the next couple of weeks, the polls began to break heavily in the favour of Couillard and the Liberals as the PQ began to bleed support to all 3 major opposition parties. His second debate performance was not as strong as his first one, and he was criticized by both Pauline Marois and François Legault of the CAQ for suggesting that a factory worker in Quebec ought to be bilingual in

4275-536: The creation of the Charbonneau commission in response to rising discontent within the Quebec Liberal caucus. The Charest government was deeply unpopular during its first years in office, enjoying a public approval rating of below 50 per cent in most opinion polls and falling to the low twenties in voter support. In the first few weeks after André Boisclair was elected leader of the PQ, polls showed that Charest and

4370-439: The dam and embankment B3, excavate the spillway and intake channel, and undertake other related work. A crushing works was built in 2014–2015 to make gravel for use in the Romaine 3 concrete. In March 2015 a shovel operator died in the Romaine-3 site after the ice of a drainage channel broke under his vehicle. In a separate incident, 4 workers were killed in an accident. The Romaine-3 Generating Station came into service in 2017. It

4465-464: The economy and jobs. In 2014, Couillard announced his opposition to the development of shale gas , citing a report that raised environmental concerns. In October 2017, Couillard's government passed Bill 62 , a Quebec ban on face covering . This law gained national and international attention, as Muslim women who wear a niqab or burqa would have to remove their religious garments to uncover their face to access public services. Couillard supported

4560-446: The environment in 1991. In that role, he led the Canadian delegation at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil. When Mulroney announced his retirement as PC leader and prime minister, Charest was a candidate for the leadership of the party at the 1993 Progressive Conservative leadership convention . Karlheinz Schreiber alleged he gave $ 30,000 in cash to Charest's campaign for

4655-514: The event that an Anglophone businessperson was to walk on the floor. While his comment was portrayed by his critics as proof that he was soft on the French language issue, his poll numbers continued to exceed those of his opponents. On April 7, Couillard led the Quebec Liberals to a sweeping victory, winning 70 seats in the National Assembly and a return to government a mere 19 months after being ousted in one of their poorest election showings in

4750-572: The federal Progressive Conservative party. Charest's third term was marked by several allegations of questionable financing from the Quebec Liberal Party as well as a multitude of scandals in the construction sector in Quebec, the loss of $ 39.8 billion from the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec , and the Marc Bellemare (Charest's former justice minister) affair. Bellemare alleged in 2010 that he had been pressured by Quebec Liberal fundraisers during

4845-575: The federal decision to opt out of the Kyoto Accord , and his insistence that Quebec would seek to meet its own Kyoto targets has earned him considerable support. His government set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets, petroleum royalties, and a 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles. He also established the Sustainable Development Act, which adds to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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4940-431: The first province in Canada to implement a carbon tax . At the time it was implemented, the tax amounted to 0.8 cents per litre of gas and 0.9 cents per litre of diesel fuel. Much of the fiscal policy of the Charest government was based upon the expectation that new revenues could be obtained from a resolution of the fiscal imbalance believed to exist between the federal and provincial governments. The Harper government

5035-423: The issues of respect of the law and civil order, referencing the demonstrations of the previous months. They claimed to be the party of the silent majority who did not support the student protest movement. It was the first provincial election in Quebec to feature the newly formed CAQ party led by François Legault on the ballot. On the night of September 4, Charest and his party lost the general election. The result

5130-411: The last week of the campaign, Charest promised an additional $ 700 million in tax cuts—some of it coming for the additional equalization money from the 2007 federal budget; reduction of hospital wait times; improvement and increase of French courses at school; an increase of the number of daycare spaces; and an increase in tuition fees for university students ($ 50 per semester until 2012). The last measure

5225-587: The law, saying "We are in a free and democratic society. You speak to me, I should see your face, and you should see mine. It's as simple as that." Couillard's government was ousted after only one term by the Coalition Avenir Québec in the October 2018 provincial election . Couillard himself easily won reelection in Roberval. He resigned as party leader and MNA on October 4, 2018. In September 2022, Couillard

5320-691: The leader of the Bloc Québécois. In the election, the Tories received 18.8 per cent of the popular vote and won 20 seats, mostly in Atlantic Canada . Although the party's seat count had recovered (as they won only two seats in 1993), Charest considered the result a disappointment. While the Tories finished only half a point behind Reform in terms of the popular vote, their support was too dispersed west of Quebec to translate into seats. They were also hampered by vote-splitting with Reform in rural central Ontario,

5415-480: The main dam and contains the spillway. It is 30 metres (98 ft) high, with thalweg height 27.8 metres (91 ft) and length of 257.6 metres (845 ft). The holding capacity is 960,000,000 cubic metres (3.4 × 10 cu ft). It is a concrete gravity dam built on treated rock. The main dam is between PK158 and PK159 on the river. The spillway discharges into the Romaine River at PK158. A gallery leads from

5510-522: The medical profession to run for the Montreal-area seat of Mont-Royal in the National Assembly , representing the Quebec Liberal Party . He was elected in the 2003 election and was appointed Minister of Health and Social Services on April 29, 2003. After taking office, he proved skillful in the handling of his department's public relations and was regarded by some as the most popular minister in

5605-400: The most adverse consequences resulting from the implementation of this project. Over the span of thousands of years, the Innu have established their livelihood through the time-honored practice of fishing for char, eel, brook trout, and whitefish in the upper reaches of the Romaine River. Additionally, during the summer seasons, they have historically harvested salmon from the pools downstream of

5700-415: The new "agglomeration councils". The makeup of these councils was based on the population of the municipalities involved, with the mayors having the right to unilaterally appoint all of the individuals who would represent their cities on the council. The resulting structure was seen by many to be less democratic than the one which had preceded it, as demerged municipalities were denied an effective voice, and

5795-422: The number of Woodland caribou is poised to negatively impact the longstanding and integral traditional activities practiced by the Innu communities in the affected area. It's noteworthy that in 2003, the Innu of Ekuanitshit petitioned the federal courts, seeking intervention to halt the proposed construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Romaine River (White, 2012). Their plea was rooted in profound concerns regarding

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5890-404: The party's history. The Liberals even managed to unseat Marois in her own riding. On election night, Couillard stressed the importance of creating a better business climate in Quebec and doing away with some of the divisive policies that had characterized Marois' tenure as Premier. He also pledged to work cooperatively with other provinces and the federal government and to reassert Quebec's place as

5985-506: The points, Charest finished a distant second to winner Pierre Poilievre , who took 68 per cent of points on the first ballot. Bold indicates parties with members elected to the House of Commons . Philippe Couillard Philippe Couillard PC ( French: [filip kujɑːʁ] ; born June 26, 1957) is a Canadian business advisor and former neurosurgeon , university professor and politician who served as 31st premier of Quebec from 2014 to 2018. Between 2003 and 2008, he

6080-558: The post in April 1995. Charest, therefore, became the first person of francophone descent to lead the Progressive Conservative Party. Charest participated in the 1994 class of the World Economic Forum 's Global Leaders for Tomorrow program. During the 1995 referendum on Quebec's sovereignty , Charest was vice-president of the "No" campaign (Comité national des Québécoises et des Québécois pour le NON). In

6175-443: The potential detrimental effects that the hydroelectric dam project could inflict upon the Woodland caribou population, recognizing the vital interdependence between the caribou's well-being and their own cultural practices and heritage. In the joint review panel, multiple organizations came forward to voice concerns for the birdlife that lives in the affected area of the La Romaine Hydroelectric Complex. The species of concern included

6270-405: The project as an opportunity to benefit from the injection of money into the area, allowing their communities to combat the chronic poverty and unemployment on the reserves. The project promised to create an average of 975 jobs each year over the lifetime of the project. Hydro-Québec had to negotiate several agreements of consent with the local Innu communities, paying more than CDN$ 200 million over

6365-409: The project in 2009 noted an elder Ekuanitshit member’s feeling on the project: “If the hydroelectric development project goes ahead today, the territory that was our beautiful land will be flooded. It is also there that I was born. It is therefore obvious that that is what we will lose, those rights—our land will be flooded. Things will never be the same because the land is our identity.” In addition to

6460-444: The project would bring about numerous economic benefits to the local population and to the large region as a whole. At the local level, the project was expected to create 975 jobs every single year throughout the project’s lifetime. At the regional level, business advocates for the project stated that La Romaine would ensure the competitiveness of businesses and industries alike for the short, medium, and long term future. They argued that

6555-539: The project would ensure a reliable energy supply and surplus that would allow for industry growth, all at a competitive electricity price. Currently, the plant has the lowest electricity rates in North America (Plante, 2023). Hydro-Québec estimated that the economic spinoff created by the project would be around 3.5 billion for the entirety of Québec and 1.3 billion for the Côte-Nord region. Additionally, advocates highlighted

6650-419: The region, there is a projected decline foreseen in the population of Woodland caribou. This anticipated decline is intricately linked to the sensitivity exhibited by caribou in their migratory behaviors towards various human-induced activities such as construction undertakings, heightened vehicular traffic, the existence of substantial structures, and amplified levels of ambient noise. The unfortunate reduction in

6745-557: The right for every person to live in a healthful environment in which biodiversity is preserved. In 2012, Charest was awarded the Fray International Sustainability Award for his work and advocacy towards sustainable development in politics. In the 2003 election, Charest had promised to allow the cities that had been forcibly merged by the Parti Québécois government to hold referendums which would allow to demerge and return to their previous situation. This promise

6840-413: The seeding of Atlantic salmon, lake trout and landlocked salmon. Another area of possible concern is bioaccumulation of the neurotoxin methylmercury . Bioaccumulation occurs when chemicals build up in an organism because they are taken in faster than they are expelled. These chemicals get into the organism either from the environment (like soil, water, or air) or through what the organism eats. When soil

6935-466: The significant contributions that hydroelectric power generates for the Generations Fund in form of royalties. This fund benefits Québec by helping the province reduce debt and address social issues. Hydroelectric power, like other forms of renewable energy, has a much lower greenhouse gas emissions than other sources of electricity. This was a prominent argument made by advocates who were in favor of

7030-480: The size of fish populations and on the genetic diversity of fish populations, specifically salmon populations, in the Romaine River. These concerns were rooted in observations made at other rivers that hydroelectric dams have been built on. Environmental and habitat transformations caused by human activity, such as the construction of a hydroelectric dam, are recognized as the biggest reason for population decline and species loss in freshwater systems. Hydroelectric dams in

7125-504: The size of government. Charest's Liberals won 76 seats, forming a majority government, and won his own riding of Sherbrooke with a majority of 2,597 votes. Charest increased the Quebec sales tax (QST) thrice. In 2011, his government raised the rate from 7.5 per cent to 8.5 per cent before raising it to 9.5 per cent in 2012. The third and last hike came into effect in 2013, with the rate rising to 9.975 per cent. In October 2007, Quebec became

7220-650: The son of Canadian -born Joseph Alfred Jean Pierre Couillard de Lespinay and French -born Hélène Yvonne Pardé. He holds a medical degree and a certification in neurosurgery from the Université de Montréal . He was the head of the department of neurosurgery at Hôpital Saint-Luc from 1989 to 1992 and again at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke from 1996 to 2003. From 1992 to 1996, he practised in Dhahran , Saudi Arabia . In 2003, Couillard left

7315-607: The students unions, the PQ and Québec Solidaire of being too hard. On May 4, 2012, the Quebec Liberal Party held a party conference in Victoriaville and a student demonstration was suppressed by Sûreté du Québec police. On May 14, 2012, then Deputy Premier and Education minister , Line Beauchamp resigned and Michelle Courchesne was appointed Deputy Premier and Minister of Education . The government passed Bill 78 to impose restrictions on protests; this caused controversy, with

7410-549: The tuition fees in all Quebec universities. Three major student unions began to organise demonstrations in Montreal and in Quebec City . In March 2012, many CEGEPs and universities voted for a student strike. The government faced major challenges when students demonstrated and went on strike by boycotting classes to protest planned tuition increases. Every month large demonstrations took place in several cities across Quebec . The Premier and his government were accused by some, including

7505-489: The voting process. In some former municipalities, such as Saint Laurent on the Island of Montreal, the turnout of the vote was of 75.2 per cent in favour of a demerger, but it was invalidated because the voter turnout was just 28.6 per cent. The demerger process also resulted in the restructuring of the existing megacities , with both these and the demerged cities handing over massive powers over taxation and local services to

7600-551: The west of Montreal, meaning that the increase in support would not necessarily translate into seats. On February 21, 2007, Charest asked the Lieutenant-Governor to dissolve the National Assembly and call an election on March 26, 2007. Charest conducted an extraordinary session the day before with Finance Minister Michel Audet delivering the 2007 budget. Prior to his call for an election, Charest revealed his platform which included income tax cuts of about $ 250 million. In

7695-454: Was Quebec's Minister of Health and Social Services in Jean Charest 's Liberal government and was MNA for Mont-Royal until he resigned in 2008. In the 2014 election, Couillard moved to the riding of Roberval, where he resides. He was the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party from 2013 to 2018. He resigned as Liberal leader and MNA on October 4, 2018. Couillard was born in Montreal , Quebec,

7790-454: Was a high turnover rate among the Innu workers as the work culture of strict hierarchy and rigid routine directly clashed with Innu culture of flexibility and community support. All of these issues lead to many Innu workers experiencing loneliness, isolation, psychological distress, and even falling into alcoholism and drug addiction. In July 2015 the road to the site was blocked by the Innu of Natashquan who felt that Hydro-Quebec did not respect

7885-570: Was a hung parliament, with the Parti Québécois of Pauline Marois being the party with the most seats (54). The Quebec Liberal Party became the official opposition with 50 seats. Charest lost his own seat of Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships , a seat that he had held since 1984, both in the federal and provincial legislatures. Charest announced on September 5 in Quebec City that he would resign as Quebec Liberal Party leader. Charest

7980-482: Was born on June 24, 1958, in Sherbrooke , in Quebec's Eastern Townships . His parents are Rita ( née  Leonard ), an Irish Quebecer , and Claude "Red" Charest, a French Canadian . He obtained a law degree from the Université de Sherbrooke and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec in 1981. He is married to Michèle Dionne (since June 21, 1980), and they have three children, Amélie, Antoine, and Alexandra. Charest

8075-468: Was built to provide access to the four dams. The Mista camp was built at PK 118 on this road to accommodate the workers assigned to the Romaine 3 and Romaine 4 facilities. It could accommodate up to 1,744 people. In July 2013 Alstom was awarded a contract to supply, install and commission two 200MW vertical Francis turbine-generator units, with butterfly valves and regulation systems, at Romaine-3. In September 2013 Hydro-Quebec called for bids to construct

8170-454: Was formerly a consultant for Huawei and helped support and advise Huawei for its participation for 5G network plans in Canada and to be a partner with McCarthy Tétrault LLP . Charest also claims he helped with the Meng Wanzhou case. After turning 65 in June 2023, Charest reached the mandatory retirement age for equity partners at McCarthy Tétrault. While the law firm offered to keep him on

8265-481: Was inaugurated by Quebec premier Philippe Couillard and Hydro-Québec President Eric Martel in a ceremony on 19 October 2017. The plant was to be connected to the Quebec electrical grid in phases. In September 2017 Hydro-Québec had said it had no plans for more dams due to the present surplus of electricity. Couillard confirmed that no more major projects were planned. All parts of the La Romaine Hydroelectric Complex were successfully completed, and Hydro-Québec inaugurated

8360-486: Was involved in the proposal of the Meech Lake Accord (which failed to be ratified in June 1990 ) which would have given the province of Quebec the status of a " distinct society ", extend provincial powers, and extensively change the constitution. In 1990, he led a commission that recommended a companion accord that would address the concerns of other provinces, assert that the distinct society clause would be subject to

8455-522: Was met with criticism from students' associations, and a more-radical student association, the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (formerly known as the CASSEE) had also considered a strike. Charest won a minority government in the election, and held onto his own seat. On election night, early numbers had shown Charest losing his seat of Sherbrooke to his PQ opponent; however, this situation

8550-401: Was much concern over the loss of habitat due to logging and reservoir creation. Most organizations called for additional studies on the effects on birdlife in the region to be completed before the project moved forward in order to determine if additional mitigation or compensation methods would be necessary. Many concerns were raised about the hydroelectric complex’s potential negative impact on

8645-427: Was re-entering politics, he said, "I feel the need to serve." On March 17, 2013, Couillard became the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, beating ex-cabinet ministers Raymond Bachand and Pierre Moreau . On December 9, 2013, he was elected MNA for the safe Liberal seat of Outremont after Bachand stood down from the seat in his favour. On March 5, 2014, amid weeks of speculation that the Parti Québécois would call

8740-415: Was reversed once it became apparent that the advanced poll ballot boxes which heavily favoured Charest had not yet been counted. The resulting minority government was the first since 1878 when Charles Boucher de Boucherville was Premier. In November 2008, arguing that Quebecers needed a majority government during difficult economic times, Charest called a snap election for December 8. His party captured

8835-549: Was seen as key to his victory in many ridings, such as those in the suburbs around Longueuil and Quebec City and the continued support of the Anglophone community in the West Island of Montreal . In office, however, Charest retreated from his promise. Municipalities were allowed to hold demerger referendums if at least 10 per cent of the electorate signed a petition calling for them, and only if more than 35 per cent participated in

8930-549: Was succeeded as minister and Jean-Talon MNA by locally-known Alma doctor Yves Bolduc . On June 23, 2010, Couillard was appointed to the Security Intelligence Review Committee and consequently became a member of the Privy Council . On October 3, 2012, Couillard became the third person to enter the leadership election to succeed Jean Charest as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. When asked why he

9025-544: Was widely expected to address this issue through increased equalization payments , while falling short of Quebec's overall demands. In May 2011, Charest's government launched the Plan Nord , an economic development strategy to develop the natural resources extraction sector in the part of Quebec to the north of the 49th parallel. The plan, to be carried out over 25 years, would foster over C$ 80 billion in energy, mining, and forestry investments and create or consolidate 20,000 jobs

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