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dam-l Rupert River diversion: Nation article points out discrepencies
I am sending along an article of note from the Cree Nation newspaper
"The Nation."
As some of you may know, Matthew Coon-Come did not run in the last
election for the position of Grand Chief of the Crees of Quebec.
The new Grand Chief of the Crees of Quebec is Ted Moses, former
UN ambassador for the Cree Nation. The incoming Deputy Grand Chief is
Matthew Mukash, formerly Chief of the Whapmagstooi [Great Whale] Band.
Based on the infirmnation in this article which contains more sources than
the one it is investigating, it looks to me like the Val d'Or paper ought
to have said "The Cree Chief of Eastmain is open to Proposed Rupert River
diversion".
Also of note is the fact that Kenneth Gilpin was also running for
Deputy Grand Chief but lost to Matthew Mukash.
cheers!
-Dianne
" "Eastmain Open to H-Q Deal: Newspaper"
by Alex Roslin, The Nation, August 27, 1999. pg 7.
Val d'Or's L'Echo newspaper reports that the people of Eastmain
are open to Hydro-Quebec's proposed Eastmain hydro project.
The newspaper ran a story on July 28 with this hedline: "The Crees
of Eastmain are interested in partnership."
It quotes Eastmain Chief Kenneth Gilpin speaking favourably about the
$2 billion-plus project, which would see the diversion of the Rupert Rivber.
Twenty years ago, Crees may have rejected the project, Gilpin is reported
as saying. "But we are iun 1999", he goes on. "We are heading into a new
millenium. I think the Crees have understood now that they must learn to
accept changes. people are more open," Gilpin says.
"We are going in a good direction. It is time to accept this type of change,
above all if the Cree Nation is very young."
A second story in the same issue says Hydro-Quebec is hoping to announce
the project on Nov. 11 - the 25th anniversry of the signing of the James
Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement of 1975.
But some Eastmain members feel the article is misleading. "To me it came
as a complete surprise, " said Ted Moses, an Eastmain member who is also
the Cree ambassador to the United Nations. "I think the paper didn't get
its facts right."
Moses said he was present at the community assembly July 27-29, where
the hydro project was discussed in the presence of top Hydro-Quebec officials.
Moses said the people who spoke up were all against the project, without
exceptions. "As far as I know, there was a consensus that people didn't
want the hydro project. Everybody who voiced an opinion said we have had
enough hydro development," he said.
"There were a lot of emotions expressed about how people feel about the
loss of their land in the first project. No one said we'll accept
partnerships."
Gilpin couldn't be reached for comment.
Moses also said he is concerned about Gilpin's comments on hydro development
at the Annual General Assembly earlier this month. A resolution to oppose
hydro projects was deferred after Gilpin said he hadn't yet consulted his
community on the hydro project.
Mosese said people ahve already made their opinion clear. "How much more
consultation do we need when people say we don't want hydro-electric
development, period?"
Sylvain Paradis, the journalist who wrote the stories, told the Nation he
stands by his story and is confident he quoted Gilpin correctly. He said he
interviewed Gilpin on July 23, before the community assembly.
While in Eastmain, Hydro-Quebec's officials promised to respect any Cree
decision on whether the partnership will go ahead. The utility has offered
to let Crees invest in the project in exchange for a cut of the profits.
But Hydro-Quebec has offered few details of what exactly the joint venture
would look like, like how much Cres would have to invest. Despite the
negative reception, Hydro-Quebec vice-president Thierry Vandal reportedly
said he was still "optimistic" after the meeting in Eastmain. "
------------end of forwarded article from the nation_____________________