The Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador has rejected the Quebec government’s “partnership, development, achievement” deal. The new deal was initially praised by some Native representatives.
Among other things, Quebec proposed that Native people would pay sales tax and bands could decide how to spend this money. Other parts of the plan were seen as even worse by the Aboriginal leadership. The First Nations were asked to recognize Quebec’s territorial integrity, the National Assembly as sovereign and of course the Quebec governments’ “legislative and regulatory effectively.”
It would effectively kill the results of Cree, Inuit and other First Nations referendums held before Quebec’s sovereignty referendum, according to the Native leadership. Native people voted in their referendums to stay in Canada if Quebec leaves.
The chiefs, meeting in Quebec City, felt the document would support international recognition of Quebec’s borders in the event of independence, which would mean “effective control” over all Native territories within Quebec.
Columnist Paul Wells wrote in The Montreal Gazette, “Imagine the sanctimo nious outrage from Quebec City if a federal government ever tried to trade money for or social programs for a formal rejection of the sovereignist project.”
AFN Regional Chief Ghislain Picard said Quebec’s deal “was worked out without our contributions or consent.” In a press release, the chiefs said the government has always made policies concern- ■ ing Native peoples without con-
suiting them, which is unacceptable today.
This is a rapid change-around for some Native leaders who initially praised Quebec’s policy, including Picard and Romeo Saganash. That was before they knew the policy’s references to territorial integrity.
Charles LaRochelle, spokesman of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, says the ministry was surprised Natives backed away from the deal so strongly. “The Minster was saddened and surprised at the reaction,” said the spokesman, adding that the “bridge was not broken.”
“There is no crisis at the moment, just differing points of view on the matter. We aren’t looking at a roadblock to the discussions,” said LaRochelle. He pointed out that negotiations are continuing in many areas and the concept of Quebec’s territorial integrity is not being forced on anyone. LaRochelle said, in the end, what everyone must consider is doing something about the poverty, living conditions and high rate of unemployment on reserves.
“We have to think of the youth and what can be done for them and their future,” said LaRochelle.
Waswanipi Chief John Kitchen, who was present at the AFN meeting, agrees that bothNatives and Quebec have to sit down together. “We didn’t reject everything, but we don’taccept the policy as it is,” said Kitchen. He said the chiefs had the biggest problemswith the “territorial integrity” and “effectivity” clauses. “We need to look at thepolicy, work on it and see how it could be made acceptable to all parties,”said Kitchen. “The main thing is for the First Nations and Quebec towork together.”
