Friday, April 29, 2011 marked the arrival of David Suzuki and George Stroumboulopoulos to the Magdalen Islands as part of the attempt to stop oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Suzuki, a Canadian Environmentalist and host of CBC’s The Nature of Things and George Stroumboulopoulos, host of CBC’s the Hour, came to the Islands after a request from the St. Lawrence Coalition and the Quebec Chapter and the David Suzuki Foundation.
The weekend began with a 5 à 7 at the Galleries Bar Spectacle les Pas Perdus, where Suzuki addressed the audience about the importance of protecting their environment. Oil and Gas exploration could potentially pollute the St. Lawrence Gulf and destroy the fishing industry of the Magdalen Islands. When a member of the audience approached Dr. Suzuki for help in fighting the oil companies, Suzuki made it clear that we must help ourselves. The Gulf is our home and it is very important that the people mobilize themselves.
On Saturday, David Suzuki and George Stroumboulopoulos toured the Island to speak to fishermen, the direct stakeholders in the Gulf. The pair then arrived at Old Harry Beach, where a flag representing the five provinces of the Gulf was raised as a symbol of the importance of a gulf coalition to stop oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the Gulf.
