The organization M\u00e8res au front is presently working on a province-wide initiative called \u201cThe Generational Chair\".\u00a0 It's an artistic project where children decorate a chair on the theme of the environment and biodiversity. Once the chair is finished, it is presented to local council as an artistic expression of their ideas, thoughts and perspectives.<\/p>\n
Mirabelle Kelly, a member of Les M\u00e8res au front et leurs alli\u00e9.e.s des Cantons de l\u2019Est, provided details on the project and the type of work that M\u00e8res au front is involved in.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now this is the main project that we are working on. Children work on the project, it really starts with the children. They have a chair to decorate and this chair will be give to the municipality, to the city council members, and hopefully be a part of the table so that members have a concrete reminder that all of their decisions have an impact on the future generations,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe children are asked to decorate the chair with their heart. There\u2019s no limit on what they can do with the chair, but obviously it turns around the environment and biodiversity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Kelly\u00a0is currently collaborating with students at Parkview Elementary School to give a chair to the town council of Granby. (\u2026) \u201cIt\u2019s a grade four class at Parkview Elementary that is making the chair for Granby. The council has accepted the project and are working with us to have a ceremony where the children will be able to give the chair.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are 30 municipalities in Quebec that have a chair and there are around 65 that are being worked on right now, according to Kelly. \u00a0\u201cIn our area, we have Bedford, Stanbridge East, Cowansville is working on a chair, Sutton is working on a chair. There is a lot of interest in our area in the last few months,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
According to Kelly, The Generational Chair project was originally developed by the mayor of Quebec City until the initiative was taken over by M\u00e8res au front.<\/p>\n
M\u00e8res au front is a movement in Quebec, and in certain other provinces in Canada with a francophone presence, made up of mothers, grandmothers, and their allies with a mission to protect future generations from the impacts of climate change and to ensure a better future for children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Various regions and municipalities across Quebec have a M\u00e8res au front group that carry out or support projects and initiatives in their communities related to the environment and biodiversity, including the Eastern Townships. These groups include Les M\u00e8res au front et leurs alli\u00e9.e.s des Cantons de l\u2019Est, M\u00e8res au front Estrie, and M\u00e8res au front Memphr\u00e9magog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Kelly recently discovered Les M\u00e8res au front et leurs alli\u00e9.e.s des Cantons de l\u2019Est after working to protect a piece of land in Farnham that was facing residential development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI got involved in that and I tried to get some help from different organizations, the government, different health services to get some support to try to protect the land. It was very hard to get any help because people were linked, either through financing or through political links, people didn\u2019t want to get involved too much,\u201d said Kelly. \u201c(\u2026) But then we got help from M\u00e8res au front. Amongst all of the people that could help us, the people who came really and gave us this support were these mothers that came on the weekend, from all over the region. (\u2026) I was very moved by this and they asked me if I wanted to join.\u201d<\/p>\n M\u00e8res au front started in 2020, added Kelly, and its focus is addressing the climate crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really a group of mothers, grandmothers, and their allies, so uncles, fathers, grandfathers, brothers, who are working together to try to give a better future to our children in terms of the natural climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis. We are trying to carry out actions that try to protect the future of our children,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n Kelly described the group as being \u201cloosely defined\u201d without any sort of hierarchy.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYou get involved with what interests you and what you\u2019re ready to give in terms of time. It\u2019s really a good way to be in a supportive group, get some ideas, and get some projects going. I\u2019m very proud to be in this group,\u201d Kelly explained.<\/p>\n In addition to trying to protect the peatland in Farnham, Les M\u00e8res au front et leurs alli\u00e9.e.s des Cantons de l\u2019Est recently supported the M\u00e8res au front group in the Abitibi region to address concerns of mining and the impacts on the quality of water. They are also involved in the province-wide Generational Chair project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For more information click the following links:<\/p>\n