Four decades ago, Quebec Premier René Lévesque was skeptical of the idea of Crees running their own airline, telling the late Cree Grand Chief Billy Diamond that airlines already served Cree communities. But in the end, the province had no say: the Cree Nation, using capital from the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA), went on to build Air Creebec.
When a massive fire destroyed its hangar and aircraft fleet February 24, the future of First Nations Technical Institute’s (FNTI) popular aviation program looked uncertain. However, the aerospace community’s generous support has enabled students to continue their flight training while the school recovers.
The First Nations Bank of Canada (FNBC) welcomed a new investor and a new slate on its board of directors in April. The bank announced that Ermineskin Cree Nation’s Neyaskweyahk Group of Companies Inc. (NGCI) bought an 18% share in the institution, increasing Indigenous ownership in the bank to 87%.
Long Point First Nation is calling for more comprehensive environmental reviews after an Australian mining company said it wants to expand operations in the area. The Anishinabek community situated in Winneway is concerned about the impacts of lithium mining, a key component in the global efforts to move towards sustainable energy.
Resource extraction was a hot topic at last year’s Annual General Assembly, with expressing concerns about the cost of development in the territory. With every impact benefit agreement (IBA) it seems there are some who realize greater benefits and some who feel more of the impact.
About 100 people gathered in Val-d’Or’s Hotel Forestel December 7, with another 100 joining online, to participate in the 18th edition of the Business Exchange Day, hosted by the Secretariat to the Cree Nation Abitibi-Témiscamingue Economic Alliance.
The Cree Nation has unveiled plans for an ambitious $100 million high-rise tower that will stand at one of the main entrances to downtown Montreal. Featuring a giant canoe shape at its most prominent corner, the 26-floor Odea Montreal building will accommodate a combination of condos, rentals and commercial space.
Indigenous leaders were cautiously optimistic that the Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec was the starting point of a movement. The event November 25 and 26 brought about 250 Indigenous leaders, provincial elected officials and businesspeople together to discuss the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in Quebec’s economy.
During a council board meeting in Ouje-Bougoumou October 26-27, Mistissini and Waswanipi signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would see the two communities share forestry resources, including a forestry engineer, opening the way for broader discussions in the future.
