Earth Day brings two protests to Sherbrooke
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
On Earth Day, April 22, two protests on two different but related issues took place in Sherbrooke. In addition, Canadians revealed their views on Earth Day and related topics in a recently released Ipsos poll.
In the morning, agricultural producers in Estrie, Quebec, joined their peers across the province to amplify their call for government understanding. In a significant demonstration, at least 500 individuals, along with over a hundred tractors and other farm vehicles, convened on Boulevard Bourque in Sherbrooke. They gathered in front of the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, delivering a message about the challenges they face.
Michel Brien, a dairy and hay producer from Racine and president of the UPA-Estrie Federation, voiced the concerns of the farming community in an April 22 press release.
“Inflation, interest rates, and the rising cost of agricultural land are decimating farms. Climate variability and global market pressures threaten the rest. Agricultural zones are continuously being reduced, and bureaucratic burdens are increasing. Far from the autonomy desired by the Quebec government, it is now food security that we need to worry about,” he said.
