The most active mining company in Iyiyuuschii will be hearing from the Crees during a mining convention which is to be held in Rouyn Sept. 10-12.
Eastmain Chief Kenneth Gilpin and two tallymen whose land is being explored by Virginia Gold Mines will meet the company’s president, Andre Beaumont, during the convention.
The convention is being sponsored by the Quebec government, which has given a shot in the arm to the mining industry with millions in subsidies to companies willing to explore the “Middle-North,” Cree land.
The two tallymen are Robert Jimiken of Mistissini and Abel Moses of Eastmain. Moses came to Eastmain’s local assembly and said there was a lot of mining activity on his land. He asked the council to help him find out what’s going on. The meeting in Rouyn is the first result of the band’s efforts.
“He (Beaumont) wouldn’t tell us what his findings were, but agreed to sit down with us,” said Gilpin.
“Depending on what our findings are and their schedule of work, we’re going to start negotiating with them on revenue sharing or going into a partnership.”
Gilpin said tallyman Abel Moses’s first concern is to secure as many jobs from the mining as possible for the young people of Eastmain.
