Universite de Montreal Environmental Assessment and Viable Interdependence: The Great Whale River Case in Northern Quebec Par Peter Royston Mulvihill Facult6 de l'Am6nagement These presentee B la Facult6 des etudes sup6rieures en vue de ltobtentionde grade de Philosophiie Doctor (Ph.D.) en Amhagement Mars 1997 O Peter R. Mulvihill, 1997 National Library Bibliotheque nationale 1 .,am& du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Welllngtan mwa ON KIA ON4 OnawaON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pernettant a la National Library of Canada to BCbliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfichelfilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format ilectronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts &om it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent Stre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Unlverslte de Morrtr6al Facult4 des superieures Cette thhse intitulde: Environmental Assessment and Viable Interdependence: The Great Whale River Case in Northern Quebec prdsentde par Peter Royston Muhihill a 616 Bvalude par un jury compose des personnes suivantes: /L.................L .LJ+nateur exteme Jeanne Wolfe These accept68 le: 17 mars 1997 Universitl. de Montreal Abstract Northern aboriginal communities seek to establish and maintain more viable forms of interdependence with the south in order to redress patterns of southern-imposed development projects which are often perceived to be ecologically unsustainable and socially inequitable. This thesis hypothesizes that environmental assessment (EA) can be supportive of viable interdependence between regions and cultures. The thesis focuses on the scoping stage of EA and explores its potential through a case study: the scoping process conducted for the proposed Great Whale River Hydroelectric project in Northern Quebec. The goal of the research was to gain a better understanding of the potential role of scoping processes in the pursuit of viable interdependence. The research method consisted of literature review; contextual field research; informal interviews; case study; direct participation in the case study; and evaluation of the case study using an experimental evaluative framework. The evaluative framework of the thesis consists of 16 criteria divided into three interrelated categories: substantive, process-oriented (general); and the more experimental process-oriented (spec@). The specific process-oriented criteria are used as the primary analytical focus and are the subject of 5 separate "sub-analyses". The sub-evaluations revealed strengths and deficienaes with respect to the performance of the case study. The scoping process measured relatively well with respect to three of the specific process-oriented criteria, namely "appropriate balance of formality and informality"; "receptive to multiple knowledge systems and patterns of expression"; and "problem-setting function". The process performed less well with respect to "interpretive capacity1function". Finally, the process performed relatively poorly with respect to "facilitates interparadigmatic dialogue". On balance, the performance of the Great Whale scoping process with respect to the evaluative criteria suggests that important steps were taken toward viable interdependence. A key shortcoming of the process - the lack of dialogue between the proponent and intervenors, and particularly interparadigmatic communication - could be addressed by making the public hearings more dynamic and interactive. There was an exceptionally high degree of innovation in the Great Whale scoping process. The EIS guidelines established new standards in terms of what would be required of the impad study process and product, particularly in the need for more enlightened consultation and justification of the project in intercultural terms. Taken together, the innovative elements of the process amount to a number of important lessons for intercultural EA, and should be noted by theorists and practitioners. The case study demonstrated that scoping has significant potential to support viable interdependence, particularly if EA practitioners are proactive and attentive to process-oriented considerations. The Great Whale scoping process demonstrated that EA and scoping can be innovative, transformative, and strongly supportive of equitable outcomes. The prospect of making EA effective in an intercultural setting is therefore largely within the control of EA panels and other practitioners. The thesis made progress toward defining viable interdependence and its criteria. The case study and analyses clarified somewhat the interrelationship of sustainable development and viable interdependence. Viable interdependence merits further consideration as a complementary framework to sustainable development. Overall, the research conducted in this thesis has produced a better understanding of the challenge of intercultural EA and scoping. It is recommended that future research focus on further development of the concept of viable interdependence as a means to pursue more sustainable and equitable forms of intercultural development; and further experimentation with and refinement of the evaluative framework. Finally, it is recommended that a comprehensive evaluation of the Great Whale scoping process be undertaken, since the more limited evaluation in this thesis demonstrated that the case study was ground-breaking in a number of regards. Les collectivites autochtones du nord du Canada ont souvent t5t6 vidimes des effets des grands projets de developpement imposes par les promoteurs du sud du pays. Pour les gens du Nord, les megaprojets sont souvent perys come non respectueux de l'enviro~ement,socialement inequitables et culturellement inopportuns. Par ailleurs, le processus par lequel ces projets ont 6tl propos&, conys et mis en place s'est revel6 insatisfaisant pour les collectivitt5s touchees, qui ont plaid4 en favew d'une plus grande mesure de contr61er de methodes de consultation plus adequates et d'une distribution plus equitable des effets et des avantages du developpement. Les collectivit6s septentrionales cherchent maintenant etablir et h maintenir des liens d1interd4pendanceplus viables avec le Sud. La presente these est fond6e sur l'h pothiise que 1'6valuation des repercussions enviromementales (H RE) peut appuyer l'in terdipendance viable entre les regions et les cultures. EUe porte principalement sur 1'~tablissementde la portee (scoping) de ~BREet examine le potentiel de cette evaluation au moyen de Itetude d'un processus de scoping men6 dans le cadre du projet hydroklectrique Grande-Baleine dans le nord du QuBbec. Cette demarche visait B mieux comprendre le r61e potentiel du scoping dans la recherche d'une interdependance viable. La methode de recherche employee comprenait l'analyse documentaire, la recherche contextuelle sur le terrain, des interviews sous forme d'entretien libre, une etude cas, la participation directe B l'etude de cas et L'evaluation de l'etude de cas selon une methode dlexp&imentation 6valuative. Les principales sources d'information etaient les observations du partidpant fl'auteur de la prbsente these), les transcriptions des audiences publiques et autres documents relatifs au processus d1&J2 de GrandeBaleine. Le cadre theorique de cette these consiste en l'interrelation entre l'interdependance viable, ~BREet le scoping. Le concept dtinterdCpendance viable y est decrit et 6tudi4 en termes de criteres. La thLe montre les difficult& inherentes au scoping dans un contexte interculture1 et propose les dlQmentsessentiels nQcessairesii un tel processus pour appuyer une interdhpendance viable. Le cadre th6orique 6tablit les prinapes dont sont tir& des criteres precis aux fins de la m6thode evaluative. Celle-a consiste en 16 criteres divisCs en trois categories interdependantes : les criteres substantifs, les aiteres g6n6raux (axes sur le processus) et Les critgres spdcifiques et plus exp&imentaux (axes sur le processus). Les criteres spdcifiques axes sur le processus servent de cadre danalyse et font I'objet de cinq (c sous-analyses n distinctes. Le principe fondamental de cette methode est que rattention apportee au processus mene vraisemblablement aux resultats substantifs recherches. A partir de ces sous-analyses, nous discutons les liens entre les trois categories de criteres evaluatifs et en tirons des conclusions gendrales. Nous avons etabli ci-dessous la Liste de ces criteres 4valuatifs. Cri tkres substanti fs DCveloppement culturellement opportun Bon choix d'kchelle, de calendrier d'application et de rythme de dCveloppement DBveloppement equitable Developpement durable du point de vue ecologique Developpement favorisant l'autonomie des collectivit6s Criteres ax6s sur le processus (gbn6raux) aquite et respect Transparence et comprehension mutuelle Non-determinisme Deplacement du pouvoir et de l'iduence Fonction trans forma tionnelle Liberation des forces creatives de la coUedivite Crithes ax& sur le processus (spCcifiques) Bon Cquilibre entre