Companies that attempt to cut wood on the ancestral territory of the Atikamekw of Manawan without the approval of its Council could now be expelled and fined under a new regulation. One has already left the premises.
Tired of waiting for Quebec, the Atikamekw Council of Manawan unilaterally adopted a moratorium on logging on January 18th.
“It will last as long as it takes for the government to sit down and discuss a mutually acceptable arrangement,” says Paul-Émile Ottawa, the leader of the aboriginal community located in northern Lanaudière.
The by-law aims first and foremost to preserve the forests of Nitaskinan de Manawan, the vast ancestral territory frequented by the Atikamekw families of the community.
Logging companies that continue to operate there face lawsuits and fines of up to $50,000 a day, the regulations state. Many have cutting permits in the area concerned.
The Manawan police could also evict offenders.
Radiance
This stunt comes after repeated requests from Manawan to “find solutions that respect [ses] ancestral rights” on the territories targeted by the cuts granted by the government.
Chief Ottawa is against the “crumbs” of royalties received by the community, among other things.
The office of the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) Pierre Dufour specifies for his part that a meeting with the Atikamekw of Manawan and the Council of the Atikamekw Nation is planned “soon”.
For its part, the Quebec Forest Industry Council stresses that the discussions must be held between the Council and the government, “from Nation to Nation”.
Chief Ottawa says the settlement is in its infancy and has yet to be enforced.
However, some 40 Atikamekw demonstrated earlier this week next to a logging operation to defend the ancestral lands of several families, including the Echaquan.
“This is the only legacy our children will have, argues Robert Echaquan, Joyce’s uncle, whose death shook Quebec in 2020. We have no houses to give them, it still belongs to the government. »
The Crête Group, which exploited this section of the territory, agreed to leave the premises, having already cut 85% of the wood planned according to its permit.
many questions
Despite the Atikamekw’s desire to protect their territory, the lawyer specializing in Aboriginal law Paul-Yvan Martin doubts that the settlement will pass the test of the courts.
This is because the authority of the Manawan Band Council stops at the boundaries of the community reserve, according to the Indian Act.
“The Council does not have the right, legally speaking, to go and exercise its authority in the territory of Nitaskinan”, summarizes Mr.and Martin.
However, the Council adopted its by-law under the ancestral rights of the Atikamekw families. But these are much more difficult to assert in Quebec courts, notes Ms.and Martin.