Some Cree land users want change in how development happens in northern Quebec
CBC
Some Cree land users say their voices are being sidelined by their own local and regional governments, as development projects roar ahead in northern Quebec.
Now a group of tallymen, as they are called, have come together to press for change in the way development happens in Eeyou Istchee, the traditional name for the Cree territory.
Tallymen are each responsible for a given family's traditional hunting grounds in northern Que. Cree communities.
"We wanted to unite as one," said Josiah Cooper, 29, who is the son of a tallyman and entrepreneur near Waswanipi.
Cooper organised the meeting of tallymen in Gatineau in July with the financial help of his father Gary. About 40 people attended.
The group plans to meet again in Val d'Or from Aug. 25-27.
They are demanding better consultation and better communication about development happening on their traplines. They also want more access to economic opportunities coming from projects on their traditional lands, according to Cooper.
"[We heard from tallymen] 'When I'm out in the lake, I see helicopters flying around [or] when I'm goose hunting or moose hunting. I don't even know what's going on in my trapline,'" said Cooper.
"They had a lot [of the same] issues and concerns because their bands were not consulting them or they didn't have any say on their hunting areas," he added.
He said many tallymen he's spoken with felt resource companies were very open to working with land users and open to limiting activities during hunting seasons, but were being discouraged from being in direct contact with them by local Cree leaders.
Clarence Shecapio is one such tallyman. His trapline is at the northern edge of Mistissini's traditional hunting territories near an outfitting camp called Mirage and La Grande 4, a massive hydroelectric installation located more than 1,500 kilometres from Montreal.
A resource company is interested in a lithium deposit on his trapline, he said.
"It's our home and there's some points where we want to get involved or some areas that we want to save. And it seems like nobody wants to hear us or hear our voice," Shecapio said.
Mario Lord is another tallyman who attended the first meeting in Gatineau. His trapline near Waswanipi is heavily affected by forestry activities.
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