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Rapid Lake, Kitiganik, Quebec - Mathew Coon Come, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, has intervened in the Barriere Lake logging stand-off with a personal appeal to Premier Bernard Landry. National Chief Coon Comeıs appeal comes as mill operations in the Grand Remous region face shutdowns as a result of the stand-off in the Algonquin territory.

The crisis was sparked by the Federal governmentıs decision last summer to walk away from the final stages of the Trilateral Agreement -- a groundbreaking land management plan for the territory. Earlier this year, Quebec also walked away from completing the Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP) for the territory. Without an IRMP, the Algonquin traditional way of life, which is dependent on hunting, fishing and gathering could be jeopardized by industrial forestry operations.

National Chief Coon Come is urging Premier Landry to accept a compromise solution offered by the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) to defuse the logging crisis.

"The solution proposed by Chief Wawatie [of Barriere Lake] will relieve the immediate pressure and remove the potential for conflict," National Chief Coon Come wrote. "Forestry companies operating within the Trilateral Agreement Territory, which are anxious to resume their forestry operations, will be able to re-start and the Algonquins will be able to continue the great progress made to date on the IRMP."

The ABL have suggested a compromise whereby Quebec will use the approximately $1.5 million earmarked for the community through the Aboriginal Development Fund to complete the IRMP process. The Algonquins have made it clear that no logging will take place until the IRMP is in place.

National Chief Coon Come believes that by accepting this compromise, Premier Landry can show Quebecıs commitment to working with First Nationsı people.

"I hope that your government will honour its legal and moral commitments to this First Nation. I believe the elements are there to build a solid nation relationship with Barriere Lake, similar to relationships Quebec is seeking to build with other First NationsSThe Barriere Lake Trilateral Agreement, can and must become an important, positive example of co operative forest and resource management between government and Indigenous peoples."