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Three Cree Chiefs respond to the Quebec Government Announcement which authorizes the construction of |
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Monday, 27 November 2006 |
NEMASKA, QC, - /CNW Telbec/ - Last Friday, the Quebec government announced that it had delivered a certificate of authorization to Hydro-Québec for the construction of the Eastmain 1A-Rupert Diversion.
We are shocked that such a step would be taken before the environmental assessment process has been completed. In acting unilaterally, the Quebec government seems to believe that the work of the Federal review panel is relevant only to the federal permits required for the project.
It is also unacceptable that the COMEX report was kept secret by the Quebec government from the Grand Council, and that it was only made public the same day the Quebec Government made its decision to authorize the EM1A project.
The public statements made by Premier Jean Charest several weeks before the COMEX report was completed that the Project would soon be launched suggested that his mind was already made up. In our view, authorizing the Project before all aspects of the environmental assessment process have been completed constitutes a fundamental breach of the commitments made to the Crees in the New Relationship Agreement.
Hydro-Québec's Strategic Plan clearly states that it will only develop hydropower projects if they meet three conditions, one of which reads, "acceptable to local communities." This has been HQ's policy since 1997, and has been approved by the Quebec government on several occasions. This policy is still in effect today.
Last summer, we the chiefs of the three Cree communities most affected by the Rupert diversion made clear that this project is unacceptable to our communities. We expect this position to be confirmed by referenda to be held next week in each of our communities. If Hydro-Québec's sustainable development policies are worth the paper on which they are written, it should abstain from carrying out the Rupert Diversion until such time as this project is acceptable to the local communities most affected by it.
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