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Quebec - Cree Agreement Example for Canada to Follow to Implement the Recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples on Resource Sharing -National Chief Matthew Coon Come

Assembly of First Nations Ottawa, National Chief Matthew Coon Come today in Waskaganish James Bay Quebec congratulated Cree Grand Chief Dr. Ted Moses and Premier Bernard Landry on signing an economic development agreement also intended to renew the relationship between the Crees and the Government of Quebec.

"I congratulate Premier Landry for his vision and willingness to work with Grand Chief Moses to correct this historical injustice by ensuring that the Crees are an important part of the economic development of their traditional territory.I also congratulate Grand Chief Ted Moses for his part in the fight to defend Cree rights, a fight that began so many years ago.

"This agreement represents the type of cooperation and financial commitment that the Federal Government should make to First Nations across Canada.The Crees of EeyouIstchee have a government agreement with Quebec but they continue in the courts to force Canada to honour its treaty commitments.The Crees have fought for years and now they have raised the standard for Government - First Nation relations.Canada and the other provinces should respect this new standard.First Nations as "peoples" under international law have the right to benefit from the development of resources over the full extent of their traditional lands.Quebec has taken the lead in implementing the recommendations in the report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples respecting resource sharing.If we are to end the systemic exclusion of aboriginal peoples in Canada from the economy then similar initiatives to those of the Crees and Quebec must be taken across Canada," stated National Chief Coon Come.

In 1996 the Royal Commission stated:

"Aboriginal peoples need much more territory to become economically, culturally and politically self-sufficient. If they cannot obtain a greater share of the lands and resources in this country, their institutions of self-government will fail.Without adequate lands and resources, Aboriginal nations will be unable to build their communities and structure the employment opportunities necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. Currently, on the margins of Canadian society, they will be pushed to the edge of economic, cultural and political extinction.The government must act forcefully, generously and swiftly to assure the economic, cultural and political survival of Aboriginal nations. (Emphasis added)"

The Agreement signed today, February 7th 2002, in Waskaganish breathes life into the economic development section, section 28 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.The James Bay Agreement promised participation of the Crees in the economic development of the Territory.Twenty-five years later very, very few Crees were employed in development in their own backyards and the governments were denying that they had responsibility in the matter.Moreover the Crees lacked sufficient housing and community infrastructure, that had also been promised.The Crees took the problems to the courts in 1989/90, when they also opposed the Great Whale Hydroelectric Project.While the project was shelved in 1995, the Cree court action continued and was increased by the filing of an action on forestry.

Premier Landry and Grand Chief Dr. Ted Moses decided in August to seek a negotiated settlement of the issues relating to Quebec.After a short negotiation process an agreement in principle was signed on October 23, 2001 and in December a final agreement was completed.This has been the subject of consultations in the Cree communities since then.After the consultations the communities held referenda and voted 70% in favour of signing the final agreement.

Briefly, the Agreement provides for:

1. A Nation to Nation relationship between the Crees and the Government of Quebec based on mutual respect and cooperation;
2. A forestry regime managed by a Cree-Quebec Forestry Board on the basis of the Cree Family Hunting Territory;
3. An increased forestry allotment for the Crees;
4. Cree approval for the Rupert Diversion-EM1A and EM1 projects;
5. Remedial works, plus over $850 million of construction contracts for Cree companies, training and employment program for permanent and construction jobs and also transmission lines to Cree communities;
6. A Mining Exploration Board and program to facilitate involvement of Crees in mining;
7. Completion of a community development program previously started;
8. Funding of $24 million year one, $46 million 2nd year and $70 million per year over 48 years for community development, economic development, environmental administration, Cree trapping, outfitting and crafts associations etc., to be decided by the Crees
9. An agreement on Cree local and regional policing and Cree game wardens
10. Settlement of Cree - Quebec court cases.