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From Embers


Oct 21, 2021

The Terrain Vague, which loosely translates into English as the "wasteland,"  is a large de-industrialized and partially wooded area on the outskirts of Hochelega, a neighbourhood in Montreal’s east end, and close to the Port of Montreal.

That space is under threat from several major development projects, and those who care about the Terrain Vague have been getting organized in the past years, connecting the developments to broader colonial-capitalist strategies at play by the Quebec government, making links with neighbourhood groups, and taking direct action to physically defend the space.

I spoke with a francophone anarchist from Montreal about the history and context of the Terrain Vague, the Quebec government vision for the St. Lawrence River, logistical hubs as points of anarchist intervention, questions around settler-led land defence and how it relates to indigenous land defence, and how this project might connect to a renewed push to “Shut Down Canada.”

Terms:

Terrain Vague - Wasteland

Avantage St Laurent - "Advantage St. Lawrence", formerly known as the Quebec Maritime Strategy

CAQ / Coalition Avenir Quebec, ruling right-wing nationalist provincial political party 

Links:

Le terrain vague n'est à personne

Mobilisation 6600

Montreal Counter-Information

Contrepoints Media

With music from Total Nada and Blemish