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Quebec's premier, Lucien Bouchard, and the president of the Makivik Corporation, Zebedee Nungak, agreed to restart talks on an autonomous government for the people of Nunavik in northern Quebec.
The Nunavik territory occupies northern Quebec from the 55th parallel upwards. There are about 7,000 Inuit in 14 communities along the Hudson and Ungava Bays.
Autonomy negotiations began in 1990, but were called off in 1995 because of the Quebec referendum. The agreement came after several Quebec ministers and Bouchard visited Kangiqsualujjuaq on Sept. 10. One of the ministers was Guy Chevrette, the minister responsible for regional development as well as Aboriginal affairs. It was the first time in more than 10 years since a Quebec premier had visited Nunavik.
"What was announced was a public agreement between Zebedee Nungak and Premier Lucien Bouchard to re-open those negotiations - to pick up where they left off and create a proper forum to address those self government talks," said Stephen Hendrie, a spokesman for the Makivik Corporation. "Since the announcement, it was agreed by Quebec and Nunavik to restart the talks. We are waiting for a communication from the Quebec government to set up a meeting. We expect it to take place in two or three weeks, probably in Quebec City."
"There is now a common will on both sides to address this important issue," said Charles Larochelle, a spokesman for Chevrette.
The Quebec government is willing to talk about Inuit governmental autonomy and that could cover such areas as education, social services and the administration of justice. The details of the negotiations, however, will not be made public.
But the Inuit of Nunavik are looking for something like the autonomous political administration that will be implemented in the Nunavut agreement, said Hendrie. This was something that wasn't available to them when they signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975.
"There was no concept of giving Aboriginal people self government," said Hendrie. "The fact that the Inuit and Cree asserted their Aboriginal rights was new. This was a first in Canada. The agreement did not include any form of self government - no assembly , no ministry for Inuit.
"Mr. Nungak has stated publicly that he's looking for a commission like the Nunavut commission," he continued. The negotiations "must be taken seriously and must be done by a proper commission at arm's length to have the power to negotiate on the behalf the Inuit, and representatives to negotiate on behalf of the Government of Quebec, [and] they have to look at the creation of an assembly."
The Inuit aren't looking for a race-based assembly, but a public political body that would represent all of the people of Nunavik, who happen to be 90 to 95 per cent Inuit.
The Quebec government is keeping quiet as to what it hopes to accomplish with the negotiations.
"There are teams of negotiators and committees on different issues to address the various dimensions of this matter," said Larochelle. "And there are also discussions on institutions - should there be a parliament or an assembly, and so on."
But Larochelle also stated that the Quebec government is waiting for the Inuit to form a consensus as to what type of political administration they want. He said that some of the Inuit municipalities already receive funding directly from the province and they don't want another administration to deal with.
On the other hand, Hendrie said that Nungak wants funding to be administered directly by the new autonomous government of Nunavik. This is what he calls block funding and feels this would be a more efficient use of money.
So far, relations between the Inuit and the Quebec government are cordial, if not warm. The visit by Bouchard to such a northern community scored well for his public image among the Inuit.
The Quebec government is trying to maintain a dialogue with all of the Aboriginal groups within the province, said Larochelle. Th province realizes that there are serious social problems that have to be addressed and is looking at ways to find solutions.
"It's the best way to know each other and have a better understanding of each other," he said.
Hiding behind all this, but ever present, is the threat of separation. Even though the first autonomous negotiations were called off by mutual desire, Hendrie said the 1995 referendum was not conducive to negotiation.
The Inuit had their own referendum and voted more than 90 per cent in favor of staying within the Canadian federation regardless of the results of Quebec's referendum.
Hendrie said the Inuit's resolve is based on history and the fact that their land had changed jurisdiction several times over the last 300 years without their consent. In speeches made throughout 1996, Nungak emphatically stated that the Inuit and their territory would remain Canadian.
But issues of separation and jurisdiction will not be Quebec's main focus of negotiations, said Larochelle. Right now, the province and the Inuit will negotiate over the practical, day-to-day matters such as infrastructure, roads, sewage, political administration and so on.
"We can work on both levels," said Larochelle. "But we can also respond to their practical and immediate needs. . . we're willing to work to resolve those problems and to address those matters."
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