[IPSM] Demonstrate against hog farms in Kanienkeh

[hhazel at gmail.com]

www.rurale.ca

 COME DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE EXPANSION OF INDUSTRIAL
HOG FARMS IN QUEBEC!
October 21st Cortege Route:
  	All vehicles will assemble at the Kahnawake Arena (see website for
map) at 9:00 am.
Some signs will be provided to decorate cars: NON AUX PORCHERIES
INDUSTRIELLES. Please feel free to decorate you own vehicle with
slogans and the name of your community.
At 10:00 am. the convoy will proceed across the Mercier Bridge, along
Autoroute 20 east, towards downtown Montreal, to the Guy exit.
- Keep to the left (right lane must turn at the first traffic light).
- At the light go straight (St-Marc Street).
- Go north on St-Marc to Sherbrooke.
- Turn right and continue along Sherbrooke to McGill College (across
from McGill campus).
Right turns are allowed on McGill College and on the next street, Victoria St.
- Let passengers (picketers) out at red lights. Do not block the flow
of traffic.
- Circle the block several times before trying to park.

More instruction will be provided at the Arena before the convoy leaves.

Montrealers, please arrive at the corner of McGill College and
Sherbrooke at about 11:30 am.
Someone with a NON AUX PORCHERIES INDUSTRIELLES sign will be there to
greet you. Bring any appropriate placards. Some will be provided.


background:

Lifting of Hog Farm Moratorium Brings Protests

By: Brendan Johns
Eastern Door (www.easterndoor.com)

Kahnawake--December 17, 2004

A coalition of concerned citizens from all over the Chateauguay Valley
and Kahnawake gathered for a protest this week in light of the Charest
government's decision to life a moratorium on industrial hog farms.

Members of the Haut Saint-Laurent Rural Coalition printed and
distributed bright yellow cardboard leaflets outlining a number of
concerns the group has over proposed expansion and construction of new
industrial hog farms in the region.

Arrangements were made beforehand with the Kahnawake Peacekeepers to
allow the demonstration to take place during peak rush hour at the
access points to the Mercier Bridge. Despite assurances that only
stopped cars would be approached, the protest did cause some minor
congestion on routes 207 and 132.

The protesters chose Kahnawake for a number of reasons. For one thing,
access points to the Mercier Bridge are bustling with residents from
the region every morning as they head into Montreal and would
therefore be easier to target. Another reason is that Kahnawake is
located downstream of proposed locations and while unaffected by the
smell would be directly affected in terms of water quality.

Peter Stacey of the town water filtration plant says that hog farms
pose a heavy burden on any water filtration system. However, Stacey
says he is more than confident that Kahnawake's state-of-the-art
filtration system can handle any foreseeable increase in water
contaminants: "Bacteria-wise and particulate-wise we're ready for
anything that can happen. Our plant is very up to date and I have
complete confidence in our skilled technicians."

Another impact of hog farm runoff is the effect of high concentrations
of phosphates on the health of the river system. Phosphates promote
rampant algae growth that can choke off other plants and eventually
change the pH level of the water. Fish die and biodiversity suffers
immensely as the waterways become choked with weeds.

One final area of concern that still needs to be answered, though, is
the possibility that runoff from manure containment vats and
absorption fields could contain traces of hormones and antibiotics
that are impossible to filter out.

A disturbing fact of industrial hog farming is that the animals are
kept in narrow pens with no room to move for their entire lives and
lose all desire to eat. In order to keep the pigs eating, they are
injected with a wide range of antibiotics and hormones to stimulate
their appetite.

Much of these compounds are passed on through the animal and into the
water table and they cannot be filtered out with current technology.
Scientists are still studying what effects these chemicals could be
having on the general population.

How Kahnawake will fit in with all of this is also still to be
determined. At this time the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake does not have
an official position on the industrial hog-farming issue but political
attache Joe Delaronde says they are monitoring the situation and they
do agree "it is a cause for concern."