Le Plan Nord et les Premières nations

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cgelinas
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J'ai bien aimé cet article présentant la relation entre le Plan Nord, un plan émanant unilatéralement du Parti libéral du Québec et les Premières nations.

C'est en anglais mais on comprends bien pourquoi le Plan Nord de Jean Charest risque de créer beaucoup de remous, au-delà du fait que ça ne donne à peu près RIEN aux Québécois et TOUT aux transnationales étrangères!

Quiconque comprends les enjeux sous-jacents au Plan Nord sait qu'il s'agit d'une "colonialisation industrielle moderne" où nos ressources sont VOLÉES par des étrangers, avec la complicité de politiciens, à commencer par les Libéraux mais les Péquistes sont aussi corrompus.

Enfin bref, voici l'article...
  • Quebec’s Plan Nord Encountering Opposition by Chief of Assembly, First Nations

    MONTREAL—(Kitco News) Editor’s Note: As part of a new series, reporter, Alex Létourneau will be tracking Quebec’ s new $80-billlion Plan Nord Project. For the mining industry, Plan Nord is big news. Commodities currently mined in the region include nickel, cobalt, platinum group metals, zinc, iron ore, and ilmenite, as well as gold. Also present in the region are lithium, vanadium, and rare-earth metals, not to mention a potential for uranium and diamonds. Currently, at least 11 new projects could be launched.

    Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s unveiling of the $80 billion Plan Nord project was not completely embraced by all Natives, namely Chief Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL).

    Chief Picard called it an “incomplete process for First Nations” in a press release the same day Plan Nord was unveiled. The Plan Nord project, announced May 9, will see mining firms and the Quebec government invest $80 billion over 25 years to mine gold, diamonds and uranium in Northern Quebec.

    “I refuse to participate in a process which does not yet adequately meet the expectations of all concerned First Nations,” said Picard in the press release.

    The AFNQL is the regional organization regrouping the 43 Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.

    Quebec Minister of Native Affairs Geoffrey Kelley believes major steps have been taken towards working with Natives inhabiting the area and remains open to work with those who have not yet signed the agreement.

    “We have more work to be done with a number of communities but I think the vast majority of communities touched by the Plan Nord signed the agreement,” said Kelley.

    The Plan Nord project covers nearly 1.2 million km2 and covers nearly 72% of Quebec’s geographic area. The area accounts for less than 2% of Canada’s population which is equivalent to roughly 120,000 people, including 33,000 Aboriginals.

    “The grand council of the Cree, which represent 9 Cree communities and 16,000 Cree were full partners in the announcement,” said Kelley. “Makivik Corporation and Kativik Regional Government which represent 10,000 Inuit in the 14 Northern villages (also) signed Plan Nord.”

    “The Naskapi community of Kawawachikamach which is on the territory was a full partner and signed the agreement as did two Innu communities,” added Kelley.

    The AFNQL represents both the Cree and Naskapi communities, among others.
    Kelley remains optimistic about more Native communities taking part in the Plan Nord project and leaves the door open for further negotiations.

    “The Plan Nord is an occasion to sit around -what I call a large kitchen table and talk about how we want to develop Plan Nord,” said Kelley. “And for those communities that so far have not gotten on board, they’re still welcome to and I’m hopeful that they will join us as we move forward.”

    Kitco News contacted Chief Ghislain Picard, however his spokesperson declined the interview.

    Generating Jobs for Natives Part of Plan Nord

    The Plan Nord website states that one of its goals is to create or consolidate on average, 20,000 jobs per year.

    “Our hope is that the First Nation communities will be able to benefit both through direct employment and through economic spinoffs and contracts so that they could participate in the various Plan Nord projects,” said Kelley.

    One project, the creation of Assinica National Park Reserve located near Oujé-Bougoumou, Quebec, was announced May 17 and will be under Cree management. The Assinica National Park Reserve will be Quebec’s second largest provincial park and it will protect 3,193 square kilometers.

    Assinica National Park is expected to create jobs for the Cree as well as boost tourism in the area. The project is expected to be declared a park by 2013.

    Another initiative is the creation of 500 new houses in Northern Quebec, which Kelley said is not an easy feat. Due to the short summer, the shipping season is short, making it difficult to move all the materials and equipment needed to build the homes in Ungava Bay and Hudson’s Bay.

    “We’ll have to sit down with our Inuit partners to see how we can get going on increasing the number of houses,” Kelley said.

    With several construction projects on the horizon, proper training is also a priority as Plan Nord will require significant manpower.

    “One of the key goals for the First Nations, is to make sure that they have access to the training they need to participate in these new development projects, whether building highways, improving airports, building houses, working in mines (or)working on dam construction.”

    Though the Plan Nord website states a goal of 20,000 jobs per year, Kelley said there isn’t a final estimate on how many positions the Plan Nord project will create for Natives.

    “It’s still early days, a lot of these are negotiated project by project so I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess as to how many jobs are being created,” Kelley said.

    By Alex Létourneau of Kitco News [email protected]
Claude Gélinas, Éditeur
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