Caribou Protection | The Innus of Pessamit maintain their ultimatum

The Innu Council of Pessamit maintains its threat to go to court to force Quebec and Ottawa to adopt caribou protection measures, dissatisfied with the “progress” announced by the two governments.

Jean-Thomas Léveillé
The Press

Quebec said on Monday that it wanted to “take significant additional measures” to “move towards long-term self-sufficiency for all caribou populations”, in a joint press release with Ottawa, which did not, however, contain any concrete measures.

But this announcement does not meet the expectations of the Innus of Pessamit.

“The continuation of the legal steps undertaken remains an avenue considered given that no immediate and expeditious measure has yet been put in place,” said the Council in a press release published Tuesday evening.

The First Nation located on the North Shore sent formal notices to the Legault and Trudeau governments earlier this month, giving them 20 days to act, otherwise it would go to court.

The ultimatum expires on September 8, recalls the band council, which deplores Quebec’s desire to wait until June 2023 to publish its caribou protection strategy.

“This timetable is not acceptable given that there is an urgent need to act and that it is therefore necessary to immediately put in place concrete measures to protect the species,” he says.

Protected area project

The Innu of Pessamit recall that the report of the Independent Commission on Woodland and Mountain Caribou highlighted Monday “the urgency to act” to save the species, urging Quebec to take immediate measures.

The implementation of the protected area project proposed by the Innus of Pessamit in the Pipmuacan reservoir is particularly recommended by the Commission, underlines the band council.

The Innus of Pessamit deplore a “complete closure” and a “total lack of collaboration” from the Quebec government in the face of their demands.