Thursday, August 28, 2008

Ottawa To Invest In Islands Infrastructures



The federal government of Canada has decided to invest 14 million dollars into the break water for the Grindstone harbour. The project consists mainly of consolidating the existing structure. This work will start tis fall and will be finished for the summer of 2010.





The House Harbour airport will receive the amount of $1.4 million for improvement work. They will install a lights and a system to facilitate manoeuvrings, when the visibility is reduced.

These investments were brought up at a meeting held for Minister Blackburn when he announced the winter link to Prince Edward Island.
(Photo by Danny Poirier, journalist for the Radar)

Father Landry Wins Donald LeBlanc Award

Father Frederic Landry was honored with the Islands 2008, Donald Leblanc award, on Friday, August 22nd, during a ceremony held at the historical site, 'La Grave' in Amherst. He was chosen because he is one of the pioneers to the rebuilding of the site. Achille Hubert, owner/editor of the French weekly newspaper, 'The Radar' presented the award saying, "the historic site of 'La Grave', would certainly not exist without the work of the courageous and clairvoyant man and all those who followed him".

Father Landry founded the Amherst museum at the historical site, 'Muse de la Mer' in 1969 which started the work of rebuilding the site. He is also one of the initiators of the islands aquarium, located at 'La Grave'. Frederic Landry is the author of dozen or so books, written in the French language, many of which are about the maritime history of the islands. At least one of his texts has been translated into English, 'Captains of the Shoal'.

Father Landry declared the he was happy for the honour that is attributed with the Donald LeBlanc award. "I remember my friends and all those who worked with me, who had supported me during those long years, because it will be 40 years, next year that I've been at Amherst.....

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Isolation Is A Thing Of The Past!

Apparently, the islands won't be as isolated a it has been in the past. The Government of Canada has decided to establish a winter link between the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island, during the months of February and March. These are the two months when the islands are normally left in near complete isolation from the rest of the continent, due to ice conditions in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

In the past few years, ice has not been considered a problem for navigation around the islands and PEI. However, although islanders ave been protesting for a maritime link, the government has been slow to act. Jean-Pierre Blackburn, the Federal Minister for Economic Development made the announcement on Tuesday, in the name of the Minister of Transport, Lawrence Cannon. The Conservative Minister agrees that the economic benefits generated, that will be set in place for the Islands, will justify such a project.

The mayor of one of the Municipalities of the islands, Municipalité des Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Joël Arseneau, was instrumental in getting the decision pushed through. It is expected to cost between one and two million dollars per year, to open this two month winter link. The link i also expected to start early in 2009. Jean-Pierre Blackburn is assured that this project is probably the best route to follow to establish a permanant link with the continent.

"This is an historical cornerstone for the development and the economic diversification of the Magdalen Islands," said Claire Gaudet, director of the Islands Chamber of Commerence. Raymond Blais, Parti Quebecois deputy, indicated that islanders must remain vigilant where this file is concerned to attain its permanence.

L-R
Joel Arseneau, rest of the islands mayor.
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Canadian Economic Development
Christopher Clark, Grosse Isle mayor
The three men are holding one of the many paper boats that had been sent to Ottawa in the form of a petition in April 2007, to have and open link to the mainland all year.
(Photo by Danny Poirier, journalist for the Radar)

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Drug Bust!

On the last of July, 2008, the islands police force apprehended a youth, 19 years old from House Harbour, while he was in the process of selling marijuana while at the wharf in Grindstone. Around 11:50pm, the police surprised the youth and immediately proceeded with his arrest and the legal search of his vehicle. Inside they found a total of 110 grams of cannabis divided up into three packages as well as the amount of 195 dollars and a weighing scale used in trafficking.

After his interrogation at the police station, the suspect was freed. He must ultimately appear later on, when summoned to face charges for an accusation of the possession of cannabis, with the intent of trafficking.

The individual had been under suspicion, by the police, for delivering the drug for sale, before the arrest.

The local police had been acting in the framework of strategic patrolling.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Corridor Resources Relinquishes Gas Exploration Permits

The Permits have changed hands
Original came from Journaliste: Hélène Fauteux
Translated by Wynn Currie
Updates have been added:

Petrol prospectors from Montreal, Gastem Inc., have taken over the dormant gas exploration license for the territory of the Magdalen Islands. The permit that was held by Corridor Resources Inc. from Halifax, for 10 years, was let go three months ago. The president of Gastem Inc., Marc-André Lavoie, estimated that there were many trillions of square cubic feet in gas reserves ,that were found on the flanks of the salt domes, of the Archipelago.

Gastem Inc., who's value in grants is 150 million dollars, has actually proceeded to update the seismic information that had been accomplished on the islands in the past, in order to determine its gas exploration strategy. Marc-André Lavoie, doesn't anticipate, nevertheless, a drilling forage before 2009 or 2010. According to the president of Gastem, Inc. the drilling of an exploration well on the islands is evaluated between five and seven million dollars, including an extra million dollars for the transport of equipment. Mr. Lavoie, who plans a visit to the Archipelago in September, is said to want to work in partnership with the Magdalen population.

Precisions were made that Corridor Resources Inc. conserve its exploration rights at the marine site of Old Harry, off the islands; and this is because of a moratorium imposed by the government of Quebec in 1998, on all gas and petroleum activities in the Gulf.

Gastem Inc. is an oil and gas exploration and development company with exploration properties covering more than a million acres, located in the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec. Gastem Inc is also involved in earn-in projects in Quebec (the Joly Project). In January 2008, the Company signed an earn-in option for Utica shale properties situated in New York State. The company also has a working interest in 24 gas wells currently in production in the Amber Bank project, West Virginia.

The company was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act in 2002 and listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange in January 2004 (GMR, TSX-Vx).

More on the Old Harry Site:

The Corporation holds Québec exploration licenses covering 123,550 gross acres (123,550 net acres) over most of the Old Harry prospect, lying in 1500 feet of water in the Laurentian Channel in Québec. Corridor acquired 800 kilometres of modern seismic data across and in proximity to this structure in 1998. The prospect has simple 4-way closure covering an area of more than 20,000 hectares, and is one of the largest undrilled prospects in Eastern Canada. Recoverable reserves potential is estimated to be in the order of 1.5 to 2 billion barrels (if oil) or 4 to 5 tscf (if gas). Six natural oil seeps have been detected on the ocean surface by satellite, apparently emanating from the flanks of "Old Harry". The prospect lies mostly in the Québec sector and partly in the Newfoundland sector of the Gulf, and requires agreement between the Québec and Federal governments in order to open up this prospective area of the Gulf to petroleum exploration. Corridor held an exploration license issued by the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board across the northeastern side of the Old Harry prospect (31,068 ha) located in the Newfoundland sector of the Gulf. In December 2002, Corridor completed the acquisition of 500 kilometres of marine 2D seismic across the northeastern end of the Old Harry and adjacent Cape Ray prospect. On January 15, 2005, Corridor's license covering the Cape Ray prospect in Newfoundland and Labrador expired. On January 15, 2006, Corridor's Newfoundland and Labrador license covering the eastern end of the Old Harry prospect expired.

In August 2003, Corridor announced the execution of an option agreement with Hydro-Québec whereby Hydro-Québec paid $500,000 to Corridor for the right to obtain a minimum of 18.75% working interest in the Old Harry farmin opportunity on the same terms as are ultimately negotiated with an operating partner. Hydro-Québec also gained access to the seismic covering the Old Harry and Cape Ray prospects.

Corridor has suspended farmout discussions with a number of major companies that have expressed an interest in participating in drilling the Old Harry structure pending the outcome of discussions between the Federal and Québec governments regarding the management of offshore activities in the Québec sector of the Gulf. Corridor continues to press the Federal and Québec governments for a resolution of the issues preventing exploration drilling in the Québec sector of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These same issues have also negatively impacted Corridor's ability to attract a partner to participate in drilling an exploration well on the Magdalen Islands and Corridor surrendered these licenses in March 2007. No assurance can be given that this issue will be resolved to the satisfaction of Corridor or that such resolution will occur within a reasonable period of time.

In Memory of the four Islanders Who Lost Their Lives Last March

A notice has been circulating around FaceBook about the lost sealers which says:
(English translation below the French)

En mémoire à nos madelinots, disparus dans la nuit du 28 mars 2008. Cette terrible tragédie qui aura malheureusement couté la vie de Marc-André Déraspe , Carl Aucoin , Gilles Leblanc ainsi que Bruno Bourque.

Si ce n'est pas déjà fais, joignez vous au groupe :

Tragédie en Mer: Hommage à l'équipage de L'Acadien II

N'oublier pas de réenvoyer ce video a vos amis . (Forward)

Merci

In memory of our Islanders, lost in the night of March 28th, 2008. This terrible tragedy which unhappily cost the lives of Marc-André Déraspe , Carl Aucoin , Gilles Leblanc, as well as Bruno Bourque.

If not already done, join the group:

Tragedy At Sea: Hommage To The Crew Of The Acadian II

Do not forget to forward this video to all your friends.

Thank You


Upper Left : Bruno Bourque

Upper Right : Carl Aucoin

Lower Left : Gilles Leblanc

Lower Right :
Marc-André Déraspe