The Quebec government is taking new steps to plant Radisson firmly in Iyiyuuschii.
From Natural Resources Minister Guy Chevrette comes a press release announcing new measures to promote development in James Bay.
Among the measures: “recognize the strategic importance of Radisson in the development of Northern Quebec.”
Shirley Bishop, the minister’s spokeswoman, explained that Radisson “could benefit the Crees.” It is a village “already established in the North. It could bring in tourism,” she added. “There’s no question of increasing the size of Radisson. There’s no question of leaving either.”
Asked whether Quebec has abandoned its controversial policy of doubling Radisson’s population, Bishop responded, “We don’t have a Machiavellian plan. If there are employees who choose voluntarily to move there, they have that right.”
But Hydro-Quebec doesn’t seem to share Chevrette’s enthusiasm for Radisson. “I’m not sure it’s really strategic,” said Hydro spokeswoman Sylvie Tremblay when asked about Chevrette’s press release.
“For us we don’t think it’s profitable. We also have to consider the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, which gives Crees exclusive use of this territory. We don’t encourage permanent settlement of a white population there.”
Tremblay said it’s “more profitable” if Hydro workers are just flown in for their shift for a few days and live in the south. “This allows the Abitibi and Saguenay regions, where there is a lot of unemployment, to develop more,” she said.
