While many were disappointed that pandemic precautions prevented the planned gathering in Waskaganish, Cree leaders believe this year’s virtual Annual General Assembly (AGA) September 1-2 represented significant progress for the Cree Nation on several issues.
One of the common themes emerging from the two-day conference was a desire to reconsider the impact of existing resource extraction practices in Eeyou Istchee. This was a welcome development for new Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty and Deputy Grand Chief Norman Wapachee, who have both worked extensively towards environmental conservation.
“The delegates are looking for change,” Wapachee told the Nation. “There were a lot of talks on the environment, evaluating the forestry regime – I was very happy to hear that. I was touched because it was really what I stood for in my campaign. Our goal is to ensure that resource development is compatible with the Cree way of life.”
Although Wapachee wasn’t widely known in the coastal communities before the election following 10 years of quiet life on his family trapline and working behind the scenes, his central campaign message of “giving the land a voice” clearly resonated with voters.
“I honestly believe the land has life and breath, but no voice to protect itself,” asserted Wapachee. “It’s us Eeyou that are inextricably tied with the land who have that sacred obligation to be that voice, to be able to protect the land from over-exploitation and ensure future generations can benefit.”
With moose hunting season rapidly approaching, one of the most urgent resolutions arising from the AGA was to develop strategies for protecting this vulnerable species that has sustained Crees for millennia. The Cree Nation Government (CNG) is demanding that the Quebec forestry minister immediately release results from the aerial survey conducted last winter so that discussions can be initiated.
Two decades since the Paix des Braves agreement, the CNG resolved to undertake a comprehensive review of the resulting forestry impacts, in collaboration with the communities and the Cree Trappers’ Association (CTA).
The cumulative effects of hydro-electric development will also be assessed, with the intention of restraining and controlling negative repercussions in the territory. Another issue to be addressed with Hydro-Québec is that the Cree Energy Subsidy Program isn’t meeting the rising costs of electricity.
“We’re looking at broadening the negotiating team, one to deal with Quebec on lands and natural resources and another dealing with the federal government,” Wapachee explained. “Once we establish those teams, discussions will commence with Quebec on a number of issues: the income security program, the energy subsidy and other matters.”
In addition to revising the income security program that ensures hunters and trappers can pursue traditional Cree livelihoods, it was also resolved to relocate the CNG office that administers this funding to Mistissini. This reflects a growing movement to centralize Cree services within Eeyou Istchee, which has accelerated with the complexity of travel in the post-pandemic world.
“They wanted to bring home all aspects of their governments to be within Eeyou Istchee to increase visibility,” said Wapachee. “During my campaign, it was clear that they felt the CNG was kind of disconnected from the communities. I want Cree Nation members to see their government in action within the territory.”
As the pandemic and residual effects of systemic racism have made mental health a grave concern for all First Nations, including the people of Eeyou Istchee, all entities were called upon to prioritize Cree-based responses with the specific involvement of both youth and Elders and new funding support at the local level.
“I felt a lot of the Elders and youth were trying to work together to find traditional ways of addressing the impacts of Covid,” Wapachee shared. “Now we’re trying to take mental health into consideration before making [pandemic] decisions. There was a discussion as well on reclaiming traditional medicine and traditional names.”
In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Indigenous people have been able to reclaim their ancestral family names on passports and other federal documents free of charge since June 14. The CNG resolved to facilitate this process while educating about the importance of traditional names in Cree School Board curriculum.
Perhaps the most moving presentation of the AGA came from Washaw Sibi, titled “A resilient Cree Nation at a critical crossroad.” Chief Annie Mapachee-Salt detailed the community’s complicated history of forced relocation and its long-held vision of establishing a new village to protect and preserve their Cree language and culture.
“We are now at a point where the support from the communities and the Cree Nation needs to be much more concrete,” Mapachee-Salt stated. “Our objective is to simply construct a village so that, after so many years, our people, who now number approximately 500, will have a place to call home.”
While finding a potential site has been complicated by negotiations with the Algonquin and Quebec’s unwillingness to add more federal Category 1 lands within the province, Mapachee-Salt said their dream could be realized if each Cree community transferred 1 square kilometre to Washaw Sibi.
“Hearing Washaw Sibi’s story reminded me of Ouje-Bougoumou’s history, living in Third World conditions in the 1980s,” said Wapachee. “They have a lot of support from the communities. It’s a file we’ll need to work on with Chief Annie Mapachee. I’d love to go back there – I went there during my campaign.”
Gull-Masty and Wapachee have already begun community tours to meet with local leadership, which will continue after briefing sessions with the CNG and other groups. They plan to secure funding to upgrade neglected access roads to the coastal communities of Waskaganish, Eastmain and Wemindji, as well as Nemaska Road.
As the only Cree community without an access road, Whapmagoostui is currently forced to rely on costly imports by sea or air and has been particularly isolated during the pandemic. While there was apparently no mention of the controversial Grande Alliance plan to build a railway and deep seaport, it was resolved at the AGA to expedite the development of an access road and examine the possibility of transportation alternatives or subsidized assistance.
“They’re talking about having a barge so we can bring our own stuff from Chisasibi or Wemindji,” shared Wapachee. “When I was up in Whapmagoostui, they brought me to where the seaport would be and said it’s not going to work here – it would need to be further up north.”
by Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
DRAFT RESOLUTIONS
Resolution 2021-##: Cree Energy Subsidy
WHEREAS members of the Cree Nation of Mistissini at an Annual General Assembly have adopted Resolution 2021-22 calling for the establishment of discussions to address the increasing costs of energy in Eeyou Istchee and the failure of the Cree Energy Subsidy administered by the James Bay Eeyou Companee to meet the needs of the residents of Eeyou Istchee;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to establish discussions with the appropriate entities and organizations such as Hydro-Québec for the purpose of addressing the need to increase the Cree Energy Subsidy Program to reflect the actual costs and needs of energy for the people of Eeyou Istchee.
Resolution 2021-##: Study on Historical Use of Cree Nation Financial Resources
WHEREAS pursuant to the presentation of the 2020/21 audited financial statements of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government delegates have requested additional information on the historical cumulative allocation, use and management of the financial resources available to the Cree Nation of a global basis;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government undertake a comprehensive study, with communities and entities, that could be utilized for future planning of the Cree Nation, on how the financial resources have been allocated and utilized by communities and entities.
Resolution 2021-##: Moose Studies and Preservation Measures
WHEREAS moose is an integral part of Cree Culture and has sustained the Crees for millennia and continues to this day making them a critical species for the survival of the Cree Culture;
WHEREAS the latest completed surveys conducted in Eeyou Istchee on the moose population dated back 12 years ago in Zone 17 (2009) and over 30 years in Zone 22 (1990) and the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP) in partnership with Cree Nation Government and Cree Communities of Waswanipi and Mistissini have conducted the moose aerial survey this past winter 2021;
WHEREAS it had become essential to conduct an updated moose survey and to ensure our continuation in harvesting rights while the moose hunting season is fast approaching in Eeyou Istchee;
WHEREAS the report of the moose aerial survey is in the hands of MFFP and need to be share with the Cree Nation Government and the Cree Communities as soon as possible and urgent discussions are needed to take place in the Cree Nation and set up strategies that needs to be put in place to protect the moose population;
IT IS RESOLVED
That the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government demands MFFP release the moose aerial survey report to the Cree Nation Government and the Cree Communities immediately and initiate discussions within the Cree Nation to address:
- Reducing the moose hunting permits issued in zone 17 and zone 22;
- And/or asking the Crees to reduce harvesting moose as we did for woodland caribou;
- And/or invoking section JBQNA 24.6.3 d) if game populations do not permit levels of harvesting equal to the guaranteed levels established pursuant to paragraph 24.6.2, the Native people shall be allocated the entire kill and may allocate a portion of this kill to non-natives through recognized outfitting facilities;
- And/or other strategies to protect the moose immediately.
Resolution 2021-##: Mental Health
WHEREAS the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent discovery, investigations into unmarked graves of residential school children and the residual effects of systemic racism which has defined the colonial actions and behaviors of federal and provincial governments in Canada, the mental health of all First Nations, including the people of Eeyou Istchee is of grave concern;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to prioritize and facilitate the development of a Cree Nation approach to mental health with all entities and associations:
- creating Cree-based mental health responses with the participation of Elders;
- seeking funding to support this Cree Nation response to enhanced mental health support at the local level;
- engagement of youth in development of a youth response plan through CNYC.
Resolution 2021-##: Cree Community Access Roads
WHEREAS the construction of the James Bay Highway (now renamed the Billy Diamond Highway) was completed in 1974, and provided an opportunity for the construction of access roads to the Cree coastal communities of Waskaganish, Eastmain and Wemindji (“Access Roads”) so that these communities could become accessible by land all year round;
WHEREAS the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (“JBNQA”) contemplated the construction and maintenance of the Access Roads in Section 28 regarding Economic and Social Development for the Crees;
WHEREAS paragraph 28.16.1 of the JBNQA provides that “[n]egotiations will continue between Canada, Québec and the James Bay Crees to construct and maintain access roads to join the settlements of Eastmain, Paint Hills [Wemindji] and Rupert House [Waskaganish] to the main Fort George-Matagami road [James Bay Highway]”;
WHEREAS theAccess Roads were constructed as gravel roads between 1994 and 2001, with certain financial contributions from Canada and Quebec;
WHEREAS for many years, the Cree Nation Government has sought to engage Canada and Quebec to undertake the rehabilitation and upgrading of these Access Roads, as well as the road connecting the community of Nemaska to the Route-du-Nord (“Nemaska Road”), which have a combined total length of 313 km, including all portions in Categories 1, 2 and 3 lands;
WHEREAS since at least 2013, Cree representatives have raised this matter on a number of occasions with Canada and Quebec to request them to provide a contribution for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Access Roads and the Nemaska Road, including through high-level correspondence, and discussions and representations at the Cree-Canada Standing Liaison Committee and the joint Cree-Canada and Cree-Quebec Standing Liaison Committees;
WHEREAS, despite these efforts,the matter of federal funding to upgrade the Access Roads and the Nemaska Road remains outstanding and unresolved;
IT IS RESOLVED:
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to diligently pursue discussions with Canada and Quebec to secure their contribution required for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Access Roads and the Nemaska Road, in compliance with Section 28 of the JBNQA, and to report on the progress of such discussions at each meeting of the GCC(EI)/ Cree Nation Government Board/Council.
Resolution 2021-##: Reclamation of Traditional Names
WHEREAS in response to a Call to Action No. 17 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015, the federal government on June 14, 2021 announcement of Bill C-15 that Indigenous people can now apply to reclaim their traditional names on passports and other federal government documents free of charge until May 2026;
WHEREAS Article 13.1 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that Indigenous Peoples have the right to designate and retain their own names;
WHEREAS many First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, colonialism were robbed of their sacred ancestral family names which carry deep cultural meaning;
WHEREAS at times, efforts to use traditional names have been met with everything from polite rejection to racism;
WHEREAS measures should be taken to ensure that ancestral names are restored and used appropriately to ensure the survival of the Culture and Language, and that those seeking to change names should not be confronted with arbitrary administrative barriers or financial burden;
WHEREAS the restoration and importance of traditional names should be included in the education curriculum of the Cree Nation and Cree School Board;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government investigate and implement measures to facilitate the restoration of traditional names for the people of Eeyou Istchee.
Resolution 2021- Whapmagoostui Access Road
WHERAS the Whapmagoostui First Nation is the only Cree Community in Eeyou Istchee that does not have an access road to the community which affects many aspects of the community, especially the shipping and freight costs to order equipment, material, and other supplies to execute capital projects and the delivery of programs;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to expedite the study and development of an access road for the Whapmagoostui which would include the examination of other means of transportation or subsidized assistance to help the community of Whapmagoostui to address the high transportation costs.
Resolution 2021: Assessment of Forestry Regime in Eeyou Istchee
WHEREAS the Cree Nation continues to value Eeyou Istchee as fundamental for the survival of the Cree Way of Life;
WHEREAS the Cree Nation entered into an Agreement Concerning a New Relationship Between the Government of Quebec and the Crees of Quebec in 2002, in order to, among other matters, achieve a balance between forestry development and the hunting, fishing and trapping rights and interests of the Eeyouch;
WHEREAS the Cree Nation, after two decades of implementation of the distinct forestry regime in Eeyou Istchee, acknowledges the necessity to evaluate the impacts of the said regime;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/ Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government in cooperation and collaboration with the Communities impacted by Forestry and the Cree Trappers Association, undertake a comprehensive assessment and review of the legal, environmental, social and cultural impacts of forestry activities in Eeyou Istchee.
Resolution 2021-##: Consultations and Review of Income Security Program
WHEREAS Section 30 of the James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “JBNQA”) establishes an income security program (hereinafter referred to as “the program”) to provide an income guarantee and benefits and other incentives for Cree people who which to pursue harvesting as a way of life.
WHEREAS the last revision of the program and signing of the resulting Complimentary Agreement to the JBNQA was in June 2019 between the signatories of the JBNQA;
WHEREAS the revisions to the program have benefited some individuals and families while a specific category of beneficiaries lost their benefits altogether;
WHEREAS it is deemed necessary to have consultations and a review of the Income Security Program eligibility criteria and benefits;
WHEREAS Eeyouch continue to occupy the entirety of Eeyou Istchee and the program is fundamental to the continued preservation and promotion of the Cree way of life;
WHEREAS Cree Nation should ensure the continuation of this program in Eeyou Istchee to proceed in a manner that enhances traditional activity and promotes the economic sustainability for Eeyouch;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to initiate consultations with Government of Quebec and a review of the Income Security Program in consultation with local and regional Income Security Boards, local governments, organizations and associations such as Cree Trappers’ Association and Niskamoon Corporation with a view to ensuring the continuation of the benefits for beneficiaries and fair implementation of the program which is designed to promote and enhance our communities, protect our land users and the traditional way of life.
Resolution 2021-##: Assessing, Monitoring and Managing Impacts from Hydro-Electric Development
WHEREAS Hydro-Quebec has multiple dams, dikes and spillways in Eeyou Istchee which caused at times catastrophic impacts on the land, wildlife and the ability to pursue the Cree way of life;
WHEREAS the Cree Nation has always sought to use all means to restrain, reduce and control the impacts from hydro-electric development in Eeyou Istchee;
WHEREAS there is a need to review, consolidate and expand the different tools that the Cree Nation has at its disposable to restrain, reduce and control the impacts from hydro-electric development in Eeyou Istchee;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to review the impacts and cumulative impacts of hydro-electric development in Eeyou Istchee with a view to reviewing, consolidating and expanding the different tools that the Cree Nation has at its disposable to restrain, reduce and control the impacts from hydro-electric development in Eeyou Istchee in consultation with all organizations and land users of Eeyou Istchee so that they are properly informed of impacts and tools for addressing these impacts.
Resolution 2021-##: Government Offices in Eeyou Istchee
WHEREAS members of the Cree Nation of Mistissini at an Annual General Assembly have adopted Resolution 2021-23 for the relocation of offices of the Cree Nation Government outside Eeyou Istchee to the Cree Nation of Mistissini;
WHEREAS members of the Cree Nation of Mistissini at an Annual General Assembly have adopted Resolution 2021-24 for the relocation of the offices of the Cree Hunters and Economic Security Board to the Cree Nation of Mistissini;
IT IS RESOLVED
THAT the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government 47th/44th Annual General Assembly mandate the Board/Council of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government to ensure to the greatest extent possible the location of Government Offices related to the delivery of services and the delivery of programs for the residents of Eeyou Istchee within the Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee, such as the Cree Nation of Mistissini.