In its time, the James Bay hydroelectric complex was one of the finest jewels of Quebec engineering. Even politically, it was a success with the signing of the first treaty of the modern era with an Aboriginal nation.
All of Quebec was proud of it, and rightly so. And we cannot minimize the effect of this success on the return to power of Robert Bourassa in 1985.
But the development of James Bay proceeded from a very specific economic development model: 1) use this low-cost electricity to attract energy-intensive industries and thus create good, well-paid jobs and 2) export the surpluses of this clean energy in the USA.
It was the fashionable model in the 1970s. But 1970 was half a century ago.
Today, the resignation of Sophie Brochu as President and CEO of Hydro-Québec serves as an indicator for us to understand that the vision of economic development of the Legault government is still that of the 1970s and of James Bay.
The problem is that in this half-century, the world has changed a lot. In the 1970s, unemployment was the number one problem. It was hard to think that Quebec would be practically at full employment and that the main problem would rather be a labor shortage. Nor could one imagine that the United States would often refuse our clean energy because of a “not in my backyard” syndrome affecting pylons and transmission lines.
But above all, we are no longer in development at all costs. Instead, we talk about sustainable development, which is incompatible with the diversion of rivers and the creation of huge reservoirs. In short, James Bay, we are happy to have it, but if we had to do it again today, it is not at all certain that we would do the same thing.
In Quebec business circles, fundamental differences are rarely exposed in public. Quebec is small and the future lasts a long time, so it is better to be careful. But since the government is also Hydro’s sole shareholder, we know who will impose its vision in the end.
This explains why, both in the government and on the side of Mme Brochu, it was claimed that there were no “differences of orientation” between the government and the CEO of Hydro.
But by doing, in the process, the portrait of the one who could succeed Mme Brochu, Mr. Legault found himself confirming these differences in orientation.
It will take someone who is in “development mode given that we need to increase Hydro-Québec’s capacity by 50%”. All coming from a prime minister who, in the midst of an election campaign, had almost already ordered the construction of new dams.
The 50% increase by 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality is part of Hydro-Québec’s strategic plan published last spring. But nowhere does it indicate that it is necessary to think about building new dams right now.
What the strategic plan affirms, however, is that we must better consume electrical energy, by increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, for example. The most profitable megawatt is the one we don’t consume.
But, this week, you will never have heard Mr. Legault talk about energy savings, or about what is in his power, namely to amend the Building Code to make these savings possible. Nor does he talk about developing wind power. Nor to make existing plants more productive. All things that are in Hydro’s strategic plan.
Very clearly, Prime Minister Legault, like his Minister of Energy Pierre Fitzgibbon, and the CEO of Hydro are not on the same wavelength.
As recently as Thursday, Mr. Fitzgibbon said he was “in favor of releasing megawatts to any company that creates wealth for Quebec”. As we can see, the minister has never been very far from the “energy Dollarama” that Ms.me Booklet last fall.
In fact, we are exactly in what she feared, that is to attract energy-intensive companies such as aluminum smelters only to then be forced to build dams to supply them. Which is the exact opposite of what M wanted.me Leaflet. In fact, it is also the opposite of sustainable development.
It has been since he came to power that it has been said that the blind spot of the Legault government is the environmental issue. We can now say that his vision of economic development does not take this into account either.
Mr. Legault often repeats that he is obsessed with creating wealth. But the means of creating this wealth are no longer the same as 50 years ago.
Except that, when the CAQ government got on the economic development train, MM. Legault and Fitzgibbon got off at the “Baie-James” station. And they are still there…