Sherbrooke MNA Christine Labrie explains why she is donating her raise to preserve the Ascot-Lennox Woodland. Photo by William Crooks
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Christine Labrie, MNA for Sherbrooke and a member of Québec solidaire, has fulfilled her commitment to donate her entire salary increase to the community by supporting the establishment of a social utility trust aimed at protecting the city’s forested areas. The announcement was made May 10 in the Ascot-Lennox Woodland near Baker Street.
“I wanted to ensure that this money would have the most sustainable impact on the Sherbrooke community. As soon as I learned about the trust project from the Association for the Protection and Enhancement of the Ascot-Lennox Woodland, the decision became clear,” Labrie explained to reporters.
“By contributing to the protection of Sherbrooke’s remaining forested areas, I know that this money will benefit the community for generations to come.”
Her donation of $18,000 will enable the organization to create a social utility trust dedicated to safeguarding Sherbrooke’s ecologically or quality-of-life valuable natural spaces in perpetuity. The trust will ensure respectful access while maintaining ecological balance, according to a May 10 release.
“For our association members, it has always been essential to protect the Ascot-Lennox Woodland for the benefit of present and future generations. We’ve done this with an emphasis on social, environmental, and intergenerational justice,” said Mathieu Vinette, President of the Association for the Protection and Enhancement of the Ascot-Lennox Woodland.
“As we refined this idea, we recognized the value of establishing a trust, not just for the Ascot-Lennox Woodland but for any other natural space in Sherbrooke.”
Vinette welcomed Labrie’s contribution and hopes that others will be inspired to follow suit. Protec-Terre, an organization dedicated to environmental conservation and supporting communities in establishing agroecological social utility trusts, will assist the association in implementing the trust.
In June 2023, the CAQ members of the National Assembly passed legislation that increased deputies’ salaries by 30 per cent, despite opposition from Québec solidaire and civil society, who criticized the move as inappropriate. In response, Labrie pledged to donate her entire salary increase to the community.
More details were revealed as Labrie, Vinette, and Louis Béchard, representative of Protec-Terre, were questioned by reporters.
The trust itself holds a fiduciary estate, which can include real estate properties such as land. This might involve the woodland, but it encompasses the whole territory. This trust has a mission and designated uses. All assets within this trust must adhere to these designated uses.
The creation of the social utility trust, aimed at protecting and enhancing Sherbrooke’s woodlands, would allow individuals to donate to the trust, which could then be used to purchase lands that would be protected indefinitely. People could even bequeath their own land to the trust as an inheritance. The goal is to create a vehicle for acquiring as much land as possible to protect and enhance it further.
The Ascot-Lennox Woodland is the largest woodland within the urban perimeter of the city of Sherbrooke. It is located 5 km from downtown and spans 280 hectares of forest. It has gone through various stages related to conservation.
This project has real ecological value for ecologists, biologists, and human value for those living near the Ascot-Lennox Woodland. It is essential to think about these spaces because it is uncertain if they will be there in the future. What the project aims ensure is that residents, their children, and future generations can enjoy them.