SDBJ vice-president Claude Dubois locked horns with the Cree people at a conference in Chibougamau in January. In his speech, he claimed Natives are using environmental protections in the James Bay Agreement as a weapon in negotiations between Natives and non-Natives.
“Abusive claims, enormous demands and even threats are among some of these trends,” said Dubois, of the Société de développement de Baie James (SDBJ).
Dubois claimed that since Crees are on three committees concerned with environmental protection, this can be used to negotiate rather than protect.
“The use of the different committees constitutes a worrisome departure. Worrisome because on the surface, the environment protection regime was created for the purpose of protecting nature and certain activities that are, moreover, widely shared by the region’s aboriginals, at least on Category III lands. The use of the environment protection regime as a negotiation regime by some aboriginal units seems to me dangerous.”
He went on to say that this trend is on the upswing. Dubois finds the most unacceptable part to be that Crees have held up the issuing of permits as a negotiation tool. Dubois said it all started with job demands and moved on to aboriginal enterprises being given contracts. He said this is all understandable and even needed, but the end of the rope according to him is when royalties are demanded, along with a multitude of other considerations “under the guise of claims.”
Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come issued a response to the speech, calling Dubois’ statements misleading to the
Chibougamau audience. Coon Come said the SDBJ was an active participant in the negotiations on the James Bay Agreement and fully exploited the opportunities created by the Court of Appeal ruling that overturned the initial Cree legal victory against the La Grande project.
“For twenty-five years the Development Corporation supported, and where possible, implemented a policy of ‘enclavement’— of social and economic isolation of the Cree communities,” wrote Coon Come.
He pointed out three examples. He said the SDBJ had exclusive mining rights in Category I and most of II lands for a long time. Also, the SDBJ blocked Cree efforts to develop an outfitting industry even though there are provisions in the Agreement to do so. As well, the SDBJ opposed the development of airport and ground facilities near Chisasibi.
Coon Come claimed that Dubois’ comments were merely a fresh attempt to “take a run at the use of impact assessment.”
The Grand Chief pointed out that even though the Agreement talks about Cree participation in employment and contracts, the SDBJ has a dismal record in implementing these guarantees. Coon Come said Crees jobs and contracts are legitimate concerns to raise during impact assessments, and delays in impact assessment can’t be held against the Crees because they are for the most part in a minority voting position on the committees.
“This is a promoter which seems to take it as a personal mission to exclude the Crees from development rather than facilitating the means for their involvement.”
