James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement

The agreement of the James Bay and Quebec North ( French Convention de la Baie- James et du Nord québécois, CBJNQ abbreviated ) is a closed in 1975 agreement between the government of the Canadian province of Quebec and representatives of the Cree and Inuit in the Northern Region -du -Québec. It regulates issues of economic development and land use as well as the establishment of a number of cultural, social and governmental institutions for indigenous people whose communities are covered by the Treaty. A slightly modified agreement, the agreement of the northeastern Québec ( Convention du Nord -Est québécois, CNEQ ) exists with the Naskapi since 1978.

History

Before the founding of Canada, the northern regions of Quebec were part of Rupert's Land, administered by the Hudson 's Bay Company territory. 1870 came to deal with Rupert's land to Canada and in 1895 was from the area between the Province of Québec and the Hudson Strait Ungava District of the Northwest Territories. 1898 extended Quebec 's boundaries northward to Rivière Eastmain. 1912 came and the rest of Ungava district to Quebec - under the condition that later an agreement with the natives of the region would be negotiated that recognizes their cultural rights and land use controls. Previously, there was no such agreement for this area and the Québec government introduced the time being no negotiations.

In the 1960s, Quebec began with the development of the hydropower potential in the North and founded in 1971 the Société d' énergie de la Baie James ( SEBJ ), a subsidiary of the state-owned power utility Hydro-Québec to promote the James Bay hydroelectric project. This gigantic project met with resistance of living in the region Cree and Inuit who feared serious consequences for their traditional way of life. The Association of India du Québec, an established ad hoc representative association of those concerned, protested against the project and secured the support of Jean Chrétien, the federal Minister of Indian Affairs, who financed their appeal in court. In November 1973, the Cree their sheer available by the Supreme Court of Quebec, which led to a temporary halt to construction. Although the Supreme Court of Canada lifted the available seven days later back on, but the provincial government was due to the pressure of the public has no choice but to negotiate with the indigenous people.

On November 15, 1974, exactly one year after the injunction was issued, the federal government, the provincial government, the management of Hydro-Québec, the Grand Council of the Cree and the Inuit Association signed an agreement in principle. The signing of the agreement was finally drawn up on 11 November 1975. In. The agreement concerned only the claims of the Cree and the Inuit. On 31 January 1978, the Naskapi signed a similar treaty denominated.

Content

The agreement covers the following topics:

This traditional country of signatories is divided into three categories:

• Category I: land whose use is exclusively reserved for the indigenous peoples of Québec ( 14,000 km ²)
• Category II: land upon which hunting, fishing and trapping are subject to the natives in possession of the province; also the forestry, mining and tourism are managed by joint authorities ( 155,000 km ²)
• Category III: Publicly accessible country in the possession of the province, on which may hunt and fish some specific types exclusively the natives; the other management of the country is up joint authorities ( 911,000 km ²)

The agreement provides for two consultative committees composed of representatives of indigenous peoples and government officials, to advise the government on how new laws and regulations that affect the environment and the social structure. South of the 55th parallel is the Comité consultatif pour l'environnement de la Baie- James responsible, in Nunavik ( all areas north of the 55th parallel covers ) the Commission de la qualité de l' environnement Kativik. An evaluation committee reviewed construction projects for their environmental impact.

The federal government, the provincial government and Hydro-Québec undertook to indemnify the natives in northern Quebec financially. CAD 225 million was provided to support the economic development of the indigenous development by three companies. These include the Bureau de l' indemnité cri, the Société Makivik and the Société de développement the Naskapis.

The Agreement provided for the establishment of school boards for the natives before: the Commission scolaire crie for the Cree communities, the Commission scolaire Kativik for Inuit settlements and a special school in the Naskapi Kawawachikamach. The use of indigenous languages ​​in education is strongly encouraged.