Cree chiefs are looking at setting up a Trappers’ Assistance Program to help Crees affected by forestry.
The program would provide trappers with compensation of up to $560,000 a year, with a maximum of $10,000 for each of the 56 traplines affected by forestry.
The money would probably come from the Board of Compensation’s Cree heritage fund. Presumably, it would later be reimbursed when Crees get a decision in their recent forestry court action.
The program would give trappers a way out of signing short-term compensation agreements with forestry companies. In recent years, a sizeable minority of Waswanipi tallymen has signed such agreements in exchange for a total of $1.2 million in compensation.
But many believe the agreements pose a risk to Cree rights and could jeopardize the court action. Most Waswanipi tallymen have refused to sign the agreements.
A document obtained by The Nation says the proposed Trappers’ Assistance Program is important in guaranteeing the success of the court action.
“Considering the impact the forestry case will have, it is likely that many of the companies will move to entice trappers into signing compensation deals, not only waving their rights to the land, but also signing off on their participation in the Cree forestry case,” says the document.
“If this scenario were to occur our chances of winning the case would be greatly diminished.”
The idea of the Trappers’ Assistance Program isn’t new. It was proposed at the Council/Board meeting of Cree leadership on Dec. 1995.
Again trappers voiced support for such a program at the Special General Assembly on resource development held in Ouje-Bougoumou in Feb. 1996.
In Nov. 1996, the Cree Forestry Working Group submitted a draft proposal of the Interim Trappers’ Assistance Program to the Council/Board.
The Band Councils of Mistissini and Nemaska later passed resolutions supporting the idea. The program is still being modified and debated at the moment, however. The document says the program “should be developed and implemented by Sept. 1996.” But we couldn’t confirm whether that date will be respected.
The document spells out the details of the latest draft proposal. “Eligibility should be determined by need (e.g. percentage of trapline affected) and trapline usage,” says the document.
The first priority is assisting hunters on the Income Security Program affected by logging. After them, help would go to hunters forced off their traplines who are now dependent on social assistance. And finally, seasonal hunters affected by forestry.
The program should be administered locally by the Cree Trappers’ Association or others.The document emphasizes that the program “should not be viewed as compensation,” but as atermporary solution.
