It is with great sadness that we have just learned of the death of the activist and founder of Nature Québec, Harvey Mead. His commitment to the protection of nature, his kindness, his rigor, his analytical mind and his vision have greatly contributed to the emergence of a strong environmental environment in Quebec. The man who was the province's first sustainable development commissioner leaves behind a very great legacy for environmental protection.
Unforgettable expedition to protect the Magpie River
Mr. Mead was part of the movement Adoptez une rivière, which gave birth to the Fondation Rivières in 2002. Two years later, he made a major rafting trip down the Magpie River, threatened by the construction of a private hydroelectric dam. His presence as well as that of several other environmentalists, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr, allowed the emergence of a strong mobilization movement for the preservation of the Magpie River. Kennedy Jr did not hesitate to compare her to the Mona Lisa during a press conference upon the return of the expeditioners.
A visionary with a critical mind
About ten years after founding the Union québécoise pour la conservation de la nature (which became Nature Québec) in 1981, Mr. Mead held the position of Assistant Deputy Minister for Sustainable Development and Conservation at the Ministry of Environment of Quebec. Noting that his initiatives represented a threat to the political interests of the Minister and his colleagues at the time, Mr. Mead resigned. It was as Deputy Auditor General that he realized that “the source of the failure of the environmental movement was found in the economic model which demands unlimited growth of human activity in a limited world and on a limited planet. »
According to the president and co-founder of Fondation Rivières, Alain Saladzius, Mr. Mead was invaluable advice as well as an inspiration. “I have always found from him, particularly for the protection of rivers, good analysis, good advice and the necessary encouragement to continue the work. »
The Fondation Rivières thanks him for his work, that is to say the creation of an environment for the defense of nature with benefits that will last a long time. We transmit our best thoughts to those close to us, with the commitment to continue the search for a better world.
A celebration of the life of Harvey Mead will take place on February 18 on the banks of the St. Lawrence, at Quai des Cageux in Quebec, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. At her request, no flowers or donations; simply your commitment to having a positive impact on nature.
