Hydro and First Nations | The Brochu approach

The CEO of Hydro-Québec makes no secret of it: her desire to get closer to Indigenous communities is one of the reasons why she agreed to take over the management of the state-owned corporation in April 2020. To l he time of major energy projects, Sophie Brochu wants to reach out to Aboriginals, although the challenges remain numerous.

Fanny Levesque
Press

“We must open the way”

The big boss of Hydro-Quebec makes relations with the First Nations a priority. Sophie Brochu wants to “open the walls” to them so that the Aboriginals are present “at all levels of the organization”. A “new approach” hailed by the indigenous leaders, who nevertheless remain on their guard.

“We have to open the way and go out to meet indigenous peoples in a non-transactional context. Whether we have a project or not, can we just go sit and chat? It is in these words that the CEO of Hydro-Quebec asked her teams to build (or rebuild) bridges with the First Nations.

A wish that she expressed as soon as she took control of the state-owned company in April 2020. Her desire to get closer to Indigenous communities is one of the reasons why she agreed to take over. the management of Hydro-Québec.

“The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Hydro-Québec was the extent of my personal ignorance. It turns out that I arrived at the age of 57, and I realized that I did not know anything about the Aboriginal reality, ”says Sophie Brochu during an interview conducted at the request of Press.

After 18 months under his leadership, Hydro-Quebec gave its approval to the realization of the Apuiat wind project, of which the Innu Nation is co-owner, and entered into a partnership with the Mohawks of Kahnawake, who will be co-owners of the Quebec section of the line. transport that will bring electricity to New York. “We’re going to try something we’ve never done. They were offered to own the line that goes through them, ”illustrates the CEO.

The state-owned company also reached out to many communities, such as the Innu of Uashat mak Mani-utenam and the Atikamekw of Wemotaci, who gave their agreement to start afresh on new bases. Wemotaci has agreed to withdraw from the Indigenous coalition’s opposition to the proposed export of electricity to Massachusetts. The Innu have also suspended their legal actions against Hydro for six months, the time to initiate dialogue.

An agreement was also renegotiated with the Innu of Ekuanitshit on the North Shore in the context of modifications made to the Romaine mega-complex.

Gestures noticed by the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Ghislain Picard. Sophie Brochu and he will hold – at the latter’s request – a first official meeting on the sidelines of the Great Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec, on November 25 and 26 in Montreal.

Hydro-Quebec will confirm its participation in the creation of the School of First Nations Leaders, powered by HEC Montreal, which will be announced Thursday as part of this economic summit.

“We want to remain vigilant”

Hydro says it wants to get closer to “communities that want it” without having the same “model for everyone”. M^me Brochu maintains that all options are on the table to agree on a new collaboration. “It goes from very transactional agreements […] to basic games of relationships between humans, depending on where we are with the community, ”she illustrates.

But the challenges and pitfalls are many. Five communities have given notice to Hydro-Quebec and Quebec to demand the suspension of the construction project of the Appalaches-Maine transmission line, which was rejected by the inhabitants of Maine at the beginning of the month. Hydro’s US partner is challenging the results in court. The works have been suspended.

This coalition of communities had notably published in December 2020 a very critical open letter in which it accuses Hydro-Québec of carrying out a “disinformation campaign”. [aux États-Unis] concerning its alleged good relations with the indigenous communities ”.

Pikogan’s boss, Monik Kistabish, is one of the co-signers. She also notices a “different approach” since the arrival of Sophie Brochu.

“Already to agree to meet with us. It was hard […] to meet the elders [dirigeants]. As we can see, they took the time to be with us, to fully understand and discuss our issues, ”she says. Hydro teams went to meet Anishinabeg leaders last week.

“We are at the start of the discussions […], but we want to remain vigilant and have concrete actions, not just words, ”warns the Anishinabeg leader. As for the opposition to the Maine project, the coalition is in “reflection” for the future, she indicates.

The Grand Chief of the Council of the Atikamekw Nation, Constant Awashish, also remains on his guard despite the conclusion of the collaboration agreement with Wemotaci, one of the three Atikamekw communities. “I know the will is there, the approach is different. Now we’ll see, ”he said.

“If there is a case that we do not want, it is to rush people, underlines M^me Brochu. The approach we are talking about is absolutely not [motivée par la résolution de litiges]. It is not a filter to say that we are approaching or moving away from a community based on that.

“It’s an almost fun approach at the start,” she adds.

Sophie Brochu is not ready to talk about a change in culture, an expression she does not particularly like. “We are not in the change, we are more in the evolution. The evolution will be rapid in the sense that we are determined to make things happen, ”she underlines.

The vice-president of relations with the communities, Julie Boucher, believes that there has always been a work of rapprochement with the First Nations, but “that [l’accent] is no longer present ”now. “It was there, but there is more: ‘Go ahead.’ There is a freedom, an encouragement [à essayer des affaires] », She explains.

“Open the walls”

M^me Brochu also wants to increase the indigenous presence in the ranks of his organization. Hydro-Québec is also developing its recommendations to fill two positions on its board of directors. The state-owned company confirmed “that it [était] possible ”that the nomination of an Aboriginal candidate be recommended to the Government of Quebec.

“Expect to see more Aboriginal brothers and sisters inside Hydro-Quebec, at all levels of the organization. That is the direction we are going to take, ”argued the CEO.

“I want to welcome the Aboriginals to Hydro-Quebec because Hydro-Quebec is at home and they are an important part of the population,” she adds. However, the organization has not yet set a specific target.

Leading players

The First Nations fully intend to take advantage of the aims of the Legault government, which wants to focus on the development of green energies, such as wind power, while the Hydro-Quebec surplus could disappear by 2027.

An opportunity for communities

Premier François Legault clearly stated in his opening speech this fall that his government would “henceforth” rely on electricity and renewable energies to develop Quebec. “The big energy issue is really something that concerns us,” said the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Ghislain Picard. “I think the First Nations want to find a way to find their way there, and if there is someone at the head of Hydro-Quebec who is more receptive, who is able to listen, I think that this is already a good approach ”, he added, referring to Mr.^me Brochu.

Towards other Apuiat?

Hydro-Québec will launch two calls for tenders for nearly 800 megawatts of renewable energy, one to buy 480 megawatts of renewable energy from unspecified sources, and 300 megawatts of wind power in the second. “We know that projects will be proposed in collaboration with indigenous communities,” said Sophie Brochu. Hydro does not rule out, moreover, launching new calls for tenders, this time intended for First Nations. With a capacity of 200 megawatts, the Apuiat wind farm belongs to the Innu Nation and its partner, Boralex. After putting it aside, the Legault government gave it the green light in February with a cost of 6 cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest ever negotiated in the province. The supply contract is for a period of 30 years.

“We must change the model”

According to the Innu chief of Uashat mak Mani-utenam on the North Shore, Mike McKenzie, the Apuiat project is the “best example” of a partnership model to be reviewed with Hydro. “We are shareholders, we sell electricity directly to Hydro-Quebec. Why shouldn’t we have our own Innu society? That we manage, that creates jobs, spinoffs. We have to go beyond discussing, ”says the chef. His community also reached an agreement with the crown corporation in September. In a gesture of reconciliation, Hydro-Québec will finance the construction of an Innu cultural center near the site of the former Mani-utenam boarding school. The Innu Council has fought several legal battles against the Crown corporation to defend the exploitation of ancestral territory and more recently in the context of the construction of the Romaine complex transmission line. “The ultimate goal is to settle disputes,” says McKenzie. The ball is in M’s court^me Brochu. ”

“See the whole work”

For the former Liberal Minister of Native Affairs Geoffrey Kelley, the agreement for the Apuiat project and that with the Mohawks for the transmission line to New York are “two significant gestures” which prove that Mr.^me Brochu “takes Aboriginal relations seriously.” According to him, it is “necessary to set the table” with the communities and “to see the whole of the work” rather than to evaluate a project than on the opportunity study (business case). “The First Nations are becoming essential players in the implementation of projects. We have every interest in forging links. […] We need a medium- and long-term vision because relations with Aboriginals will be essential in the future, ”he explained in an interview.