The backrooms are filled to capacity and the deal-makers, shakers and would-be kingmakers have sat down to feast on the remains of the Cree land and culture whilst battling among themselves for the choicest pieces.
It’s the Valhalla of politicians and bureaucrats on Mother Earth. They don’t even have to die to go there.
Looking inside, you notice Hydro-Quebec diplomats out front talking the talk with silky promises designed to entice. The Hydro outriders slipping in between people. Divide and conquer is the order of the day. A promise to a Cree chief here of better days to come. A trusting chief who has conveniently forgotten the better days of the past when there was supposed to be 150 jobs by 1996.
It’ll be different this time since Crees would be partners and the days of the Cree community deficit will be a thing of the past!
In the corner, a Hydro guarantee of a $1-billion pay-off helps to finance a revolution for the Péqists. “Our commitment to the government of Quebec.” Ah, a winning condition to have a millenium referendum has been reached. Twice, in fact, if the Cree-Hydro partnership goes through. After all will the Crees be able to say they aren’t part of Quebec if they are partners with Hydro-Quebec and their shareholder is the government of Quebec?
Chiefs looking at the piles of gold and the 30 pieces of silver quickly attempt to destroy any opposition to their accessing the money.
Oops, excuse me for my dip into a different world. It’s just whenever I see politicians (Cree and non-Cree alike) and Hydro-Quebec get together, I get nervous. After spending so much time in the trenches in the United States fighting Quebec and Hydro’s attempts to drown Cree land, I know the opposition pretty well. It’s a natural response by now to look at the interconnecting issues.
A recent development of interest is the new consortium of chiefs who suddenly decided they are taking over the file dealing Hydro-Quebec’s Rupert River Diversion. This was done in a May 5 letter to Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come (see News, page 5). They are suggesting Cree consent belongs in their hands only. I feel this is a dangerous precedent. It was a court battle and a half just to determine Cree consent meant the Grand Council and the waters will now
be muddied again.
Another thing they want is independent advisors and legal representation. A duplication of efforts and money when money is scarce.
My prediction is that, unless things are talked about now, we’ll see a signed deal by December. Once the studies and the deals are made in principle it’ll be pretty much a done deal even if they do come back for your support at the community level. A string of goodies will be attached and anyone who dares say anything will be told they are standing in the way of what’s best for the community. It’s happened before and will undoubtedly happen again.
I feel that before anything starts happening in the backrooms, two things are needed: a special assembly to address this problem and some questions answered. I would like to poll any and all Crees on these questions and we’ll print the results in upcoming issues. It just might save a lot of money and time. Let’s see what everyone wants for a change. I encourage everyone to take the time and respond.
Cree Nation Survey
1. Should Crees be partners with Hydro-Quebec?
Yes_____
No_____
Need more information_____
2. Do you want Hydro-Quebec’s Rupert River Diversion?
Yes_____
No_____
Need more information_____
3. Do you want the Hydro-Quebec’s Great Whale River Diversion?
Yes_____
No_____
Need more information_____
4. Should we have a Special General Assembly to address this issue?
Yes_____
No_____
Need more information_____
Fax answers to: (514) 278-9914; email to: will@beesum-communications.com; or mail to: 5505 St. Laurent Blvd. Suite 3018, Montreal, Qc., H2T 1S6.
