The Crees have agreed to study a proposal made by Hydro-Quebec for the construction of the EM-1 Project. The study is expected to take three months and will look at economic, legal and environmental issues as well as technical aspects. Though it will be a Cree study, Hydro-Quebec will provide the funding.
Cree Grand Chief Dr. Ted Moses and Andre Caille, Hydro-Quebec’s President and Chief Executive Officer, met to discuss a wide range of issues August 14 Grand Chief Moses had previously met with Premier Lucien Bouchard.
The meeting between Moses and Caille produced an agreement to set up a joint table to talk about Hydro-Quebec’s commitments with the Crees, including employment, mercury contamination and water-supply problems in communities affected by the projects.
Moses said he welcomes the opportunity to talk but the Grand Council “cannot contemplate new agreements with new promises while original commitments remain unimplemented.” Moses said however that the Crees are willing to study the project so “we can respond intelligently to it.”
