Quebec business circles increasingly want to establish good relations with the Aboriginal peoples, observes the leader of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh, Gilbert Dominique. To take advantage of this favorable situation, his community of Mashteuiatsh, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, announced Tuesday the holding of a first regional economic circle of the First Nations, next June 15 and 16.
More than 250 elected officials and entrepreneurs, both native and non-native, are thus invited to forge partnerships.
The event follows the Great Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec, which took place last November in the metropolis. “In Montreal, several companies are committed to continuing the dialogue during the regional circle and to landing more concrete projects. This is particularly the case of a large company in our region, Rio Tinto,” says Mr. Dominique.
He says there are benefits to building businesses in partnership with band councils — and setting them up directly in, or at least near, Indigenous communities. This is particularly promising in the field of the exploitation of natural resources, such as forestry, energy and mining, he believes. “With our rights to benefit from the spinoffs of natural resources, with the pool of young people and labor that we have, who just need to be trained and then have access to a job, we have interesting assets for move forward in economic adventures,” says the Innu chief.
In Montreal, several companies have committed to continuing the dialogue during the regional circle and to landing more concrete projects. This is particularly the case of a large company in our region, Rio Tinto.
A fragile economy
Mr. Dominique is particularly keen for the development of the forestry sector to take place alongside his community, which has been ignored for too long. “Like many First Nations, we see our territory affected by logging without having fair and equitable benefits,” explains the leader.
“We are trying, in particular with Resolute Forest Products, to establish a frame of reference that will allow us to develop expertise and offer services to foresters,” he explains. He also wants Hydro-Québec to promote the participation of First Nations in calls for tenders related to wind power projects.
The economy of his community has been weakened by the pandemic, says Chief Dominique. The effect has been more devastating in small communities than in large municipalities, he says. “Some companies are struggling to provide the same level of service, having lost strategic resources. Some lost contracts because other businesses had to close. »
Mr. Dominique believes that other communities will follow suit and soon organize their own regional economic circles. The Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec-Labrador, Ghislain Picard, praised Mashteuiatsh’s initiative, as did the federal Minister of Indigenous Services, Patricia Hajdu, and the Quebec Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Ian Lafreniere.