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NEMASKA, QUEBEC, CANADA - The Quebec Government announced Bill 105 yesterday purportedly to create a new special but temporary forest management approval process for the years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. This proposed legislation is a breach of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement as it violates the Cree right to protection from destructive forestry practices.

"The present proposal of Quebec is an attempt to sneak out of the environment and social protection regime under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. It continues the deliberate and systematic violations of the rights of the Cree people. Quebec encourages large forest companies to destroy the forest and with it our way of life. Quebec cannot plug the legal holes in their regime in this way", stated Grand Chief Ted Moses.

Quebec, Canada and the Crees in 1975 agreed that development would respect Cree rights including the right to their way of life in the forest. The 5 and 25-year forest management plans must respect these rights, which were affirmed by the Canadian Constitution in 1982.

The highly technical and deviously drafted Bill 105 would delay the approval of the 5 and 25 year cutting plans by introducing temporary forest harvesting permits. The Bill constitutes a clear admission by Quebec that its present process for the approval of forest management plans is a sham, totally unworkable and without credibility.

In Bill 105, Quebec, however, continues to deliberately ignore its strong obligation to subject the plans to a full social and environmental review under the James Bay Agreement Treaty. Bill 105 constitutes a clear attempt by Quebec, once again, to avoid having the forestry plans submitted to a full environmental and social impact assessment as provided by the James Bay Agreement Treaty, as ordered by Justice Croteau. Bill 105 also seeks to intrude into the proceedings that the Crees have initiated before the Superior Court, by seeking to change the law so as to avoid a possible court order to suspend the approval process for the plans pending the results of the Crees' litigation.

"The situation which this Bill claims to address on an "urgent" basis exists since at least 1998. This Bill was in fact drafted as a heavy handed and clumsy legislative response to the Cree forestry litigation'', stated Bill Namagoose, the Executive Director of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee).

In his ruling, Justice Croteau stated that: "On the evidence, the Court is of the opinion that the process for the approval of plans which has been put in place by Québec is an open, deliberate and systematic violation of a number of provisions of Section 22, which confers upon the Cree community the right to the implementation of the environmental and social impact assessment and review regime."

Quebec's new Bill 105 is again proof that Quebec has an open, deliberate and systematic policy of violating the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. These violations are blatant and clear. The Crees are presently reviewing their options in light of the removal of Justice Croteau and of this new unconscionable legislation.

"Our people stand by the side of the road while the trucks roll out with the trees. They leave behind a barren land like the pictures you see of the battlefields. Nobody could live there. The animals disappear", stated Sam Etapp of Mistissini. Etapp continued stating, "Judge Croteau told Quebec to change its Forest Act, but he was removed for reasons which are totally unfounded. Now Quebec wants to further cement its fundamental violation of our Treaty through this legislation."

The Grand Council of the Crees (GCCEI), is the political voice of the James Bay Crees who live in the province of Quebec, Canada. Our Council was established in 1974 by eight Cree communities whose lands and traditional way of life were threatened by the construction of the James Bay hydroelectric development project in the north western portion of the province.