Jean-Charles Piétacho and Luc Noël defended the Magpie River at the UN

The Magpie River, in the Côte-Nord region, is one of the last great wild rivers in Quebec with its 280 km length. (File photo)

The chief of the Innu community of Ekuanitshit, Jean-Charles Piétacho, as well as the prefect of the MRC de Minganie, Luc Noël, were in New York on Wednesday to talk about the protection of the Magpie River during the World Water Day. They were the proud representatives of the Muteshekau-shipu Alliance invited to the United Nations (UN).

The conference was organized by the International Human Rights Observatory. nature (OIDN). It took place during an activity that focused on the protection of water resources by Indigenous peoples.

Jean-Charles Piétacho is determined to protect the Magpie River.

This speech allowed elected officials to reiterate their demands.

The [Magpie] River must continue to flow naturally, as it has for decades. It must be protected by declaring it an Innu protected area. Our region is in favor of its protection, explained Jean-Charles Piétacho in an interview on the show Boréale 138.

Jean-Charles Piétacho's interview with Madeleine Ross on the show Boréale 138

He added that he considered it important to go to the UN in order to deliver his message there.

We had a very warm welcome , we were applauded and I hope that the representatives of Quebec heard correctly, he underlined.

“The government n There is no valid reason not to recognize this part of the territory as an Innu protected area. »

— Jean-Charles Piétacho, chief of the Innu community of Ekuanitshit

The two representatives of the Côte-Nord call on the Government of Quebec to protect the Magpie River in order to to definitively rule out any potential hydroelectric dam project on this waterway.

The Muteshekau-shipu Alliance aims in particular to recognize the rights of the river.< /p>