Natives Must Have Control Over Natural Resources

Natives must have control over natural resources

Any constitutional deal between Quebec and Canada must guarantee Cree rights over natural resources and ban future mega- dams, Cree Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come said yesterday.

"Through the present constitutional process, we aim to secure future rights over natural resources and resource development," Coon Come told an environmental review of the Hydro-Quebec's Great Whale project in Montreal.

"We would impose a constitutional restriction against mega hydro- electric projects and against destructive forestry practices," he said. "Any constitutional deal bewteen Canada and Quebec without Cree consent would be inoperative on Cree lands."

The Cree are troubled by the Beaudoin-Dobbie report's recommendations that more powers over energy and inland fisheries should be transferred to Quebec. Coon Come said a weakening of federal powers in these areas could jeopardize the sort of federal- provincial environmental review now being held on Great Whale.

"One of the main reasons the federal government is presently undertaking the federal environmental assessment is the requirement for a federal permit for projects that impact an inland fishery," he said.

Coon Come picked up where Cree Chief Matthew Mukash left off Wednesday at the hearings, accusing Hydro-Quebec of slanting information against the Cree to counteract the natives' successful international campaign against Great Whale.

He quoted a recent Hydro publication, which, under the heading "Position of the Inuit and the Cree," said "the Cree have not provided any writtent opinions or comments" about the project. Coon Come criticized Hydro for suggesting the Cree do not opppose the project.

"We the Cree people are absolutely opposed to the proposed Great Whale River hydro-electric complex and we will do all in our power to see it stopped," he said.

He also said it was misleading for Hydro to claim before the International Water Tribunal in Amsterdam that Great Whale would mostly affect Inuit - not Cree - lands.

Coon Come said the entire Great Whale basin is Cree hunting land, pointing out that the name of the northernmost river in the basin, the Nastapoka, is a Cree word meaning "drowning river."

Hydro is trying to create the impression that "the Crees are somewhat marginal to the impacts of the Great Whale River project," he said.

Hearings to determine what Hydro should include in an impact study of the $13.1-billion project ended yesterday. The committees studying the project are scheduled to complete preliminary guidelines for the study by the end of April.