The James Bay Hydroelectric project settled in 1975 was considered to be a major benefit for the James Bay Cree and Hydro Quebec. It would maintain Aboriginal right to control the existing land and carry on traditional hunting fishing and the use of the forest.

It would also provide Quebec Hydro with much needed power which would be sold to the American States on the eastern seaboard. Unfortunately the agreement did not work out for the benefit of the James Bay Cree. The James Bay Cree for the last 26 years have launched litigation cases against Hydro Quebec and the Quebec government, trying to get Quebec to live up to the 1975 agreement. These lawsuits prevented the province from expanding the power project in northern Quebec. Finally in October of 2001 anew tentative agreement was signed and ratified by a majority of the James Bay Cree Nation.

These sites will help you do the following activities.

• James Bay H.E. Project Hits Dam
• James Bay Cree approve $3.4-billion deal with Quebec on power development
• Grand Council of the Crees
• The National Aboriginal Forestry Association

ACTIVITIES

Read the article, "James Bay H.E. Project Hits Dam."
1. List four problems that the dam caused for the traditional way of live in the James Bay project area.

2. According to the article what were two positive points to building the dam project?

3. What would be two important benefits for Quebec Hydro?

For 26 years the James Bay Cree, through court action had attempted to try and get the Quebec government to live up to the 1975 agreement. In October of 2001 the two sides reached a tentative agreement enabling Quebec Hydro to expand its power project.

Using the following sites, answer the questions below.

• Grand Council of the Crees
• James Bay Cree approve $3.4-billion deal with Quebec on power development
  

4. In the Agreement in Principle, what were the four purposes of the agreement?

5. In the area of economic development and community development, what four things will Quebec Hydro provide to the James Bay communities?

6. In terms of financial obligations, how will the James Bay Cree be compensated for the lose of land and over how many years?

7. You can see by doing the investigation in to the above questions that economic development and Aboriginal custom is a complicated subject. If you were negotiating a hydro deal with Sask Power in northern Saskatchewan or an Uranium deal with Cameco, what aboriginal rights would you want included in the agreement?
Write a letter to the premier on be half of the First Nation you are representing, outlining the things that people want included in the agreement. Be sure to include environmental, cultural and economic concerns.

8. The National Aboriginal Forestry Association was setup to deal with the issue of economic development and cultural tradition.

1. List four objectives of the National Aboriginal Forestry Program.

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