On June 6, in the middle of the public hearings held by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to examine the request by Strateco Resources to begin “advanced” uranium exploration on Cree ancestral lands near Mistissini, Chisasibi Chief Davey Bobbish and the Chisasibi Band Council passed a resolution stating their opposition to the project and their support for Mistissini Chief Richard Shecapio.
The resolution lists a series of concerns about uranium mining on Cree land, including that “uranium mining is a threat and a contradiction to Cree beliefs and way of life,” which will “affect the culture, traditions, health and safety of the Cree people of Eeyou Istchee and more especially the land, animals and environment.” It closes with the statement that the “Cree Nation of Chisasibi does hereby fully support the Cree Nation of Mistissini in their position against any uranium mining in their territory.”
The position, said Chief Bobbish, was easy to adopt.
“It was during the time they were having the hearings. We heard people talking about their opposition to the uranium mine,” the Chief said. “In Chisasibi, whenever we’re opposed to something, we stand together. For us to unite, that’s part of our history — the way we came together opposing the James Bay Agreement.”
After hearing Mistissini Chief Shecapio’s position, Bobbish sought support from his own council.
“We all agreed that it was something we should do, because any uranium exploration has too much potential for damage to the environment.”
Mistissini Youth Chief Shawn Iserhoff greeted the resolution with satisfaction.
“It’s definitely great to see support from other communities, as well as the Grand Council,” said the Youth Chief. “We have to remain together. We can’t be divided. The uranium industry is global, and we need to be united to oppose it.”
Though the hearings are finished, Youth Chief Iserhoff hopes there is enough momentum to ensure the topic is a central issue at the Annual General Assembly in Waskaganish in August.
During hearings that provided a number of dramatic moments, one of the most startling was one in which Strateco President and CEO Guy Hébert claimed that Mistissini students, who had organized a protest march and concert against uranium mining, were influenced by “teachers, white people — white people — who are there.”
This comment earned a strong response from Deputy Grand Chief Ashley Iserhoff. “That comment was not appropriate in terms of trying to insinuate that the people can’t make their own decision when it comes to standing up for the Cree,” he told the mining executives.
Interviewed by Radio-Canada aweek after the hearings, Hébert reiterated his belief that the young people of Mistissini were “brainwashed.”
“I’m sure that some of the children arriving home with those photos [of irradiated children presented by some members of the public as arguments against the safety of uranium] certainly had nightmares,” Hébert told Radio-Canada.
Youth Chief Shawn Iserhoff said the battle is now a public-relations campaign. “Anything [Hébert] can possibly use against the community, he will. We worked hard to inform ourselves on the subject. We had independent experts in, and they commented on reports submitted. He also mentioned [Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility founder] Gordon Edwards [who spoke at the school in Mistissini], but prior to him coming here the youth had already agreed to oppose the project. He should start getting his facts right. They’d already signed that petition.”
Referring to Hébert’s apparent concern about the ethnicity of those teaching Cree youth, the Youth Chief said, “It’s unbelievable. He’s referring to white people coming in — but isn’t he white? It’s not worth commenting on any further.”
Equally shocking was the moment at which, responding to some commotion in the hearing room, CNSC President and CEO Michael Binder said to the Crees, “Didn’t you guys talk about respect? Didn’t you? Well, where is it now? So we spent here two bloody days listening to everything you say. Allow us now to absorb all of this and then make a decision, and then you can react to our decision.”
Of that outburst, Deputy Chief Ashley Iserhoff observed, “It was clear that was out of frustration. There was response from the community, there was response from the people. It was a very inappropriate thing to say. You have to watch what you say in public, even if you’re frustrated or tired.”
Youth Chief Shawn Iserhoff said, “Speaking here as an individual, it just goes to show me the ignorance of these people. They believe we’re misinformed, but we’re not. The [CNSC] panel seems to be clearly siding with Strateco. Though they’re supposed to be a regulator who informs the public in a transparent fashion, it’s one sided in support of these projects. The [CNSC] panel interrogated people who were opposed to the project — specifically Crees. They questioned our stance and where we got our information, while people in favour of it were basically not questioned.”
Despite the clear position by the people and leaders of Mistissini and other communities, it is clear that this conflict will not be resolved quickly. In the same Radio-Canada interview, Strateco President Hébert said, “We are on public land. [The Crees] do not have a veto right.”
Stating that he intends to take legal action against the group Sept-Îles sans uranium, which helped organize opposition to the project, Hébert underlined, “I’ve got shareholders who invested $110 million up to now and this deposit is worth $2 billion. We have rights. It’s not, ‘We say no, so you go away.’”
