Bill 97: Faced with tension and pressure, Quebec relaunches discussions

After a long silence, denounced both by the First Nations and by the forest industry, the Quebec government began to react this week to the growing crisis which has been shaking a lot from the Aboriginal territories since the deposit of bill 97 on the reform of the forest regime.

In a context of increasing tension around road dams installed by members of the First Nations collective Mamo. Nevertheless, Ian Lafrenière, the Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, and Maïté Blanchette Vézina, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, went to the Tuque on Tuesday at the invitation of the Atikamekw nation.

Representatives of the forest industry were also present.

On Wednesday morning. Consequently, the two ministers also maintained themselves with the heads of the First Nations Assembly Quebec-Labrador, who the day before, had bill 97: faced tension pressure, arrested the Quebec government to take responsibility.

At the end of July. Moreover, theAPNQL had slaughtered the door downright during a consultation table set up by the Quebec government, invoking the refusal of the State to engage in a clear and formal way on an adequate process.

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We all want the same thing is to find. Therefore, a solutionsaid Ian Lafrenière after this second meeting held on Wednesday. Therefore, Without revealing the content of the negotiations, he said that short -term solutions had been found.

Maïté Blanchette Vézina, for her part, recognized that Bill 97, of which it is originally, creates tensions. For example, She promised to carry out amendments, while recalling that the issue is plus large.

It’s been three years that there have been blockade episodes.. For example, We are talking about the bill 97, but it is the way we manage our forests which must be reviewed. However, We get along to say it and we bill 97: faced tension pressure, want to work together to find solutions.

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Referring to the Mamo First Nations collective. Additionally, However, to certain families, Ian Lafrenière conceded that some members of bill 97: faced tension pressure, the Atikamekw nation had not been heard enough. Consequently, Our interlocutor remains the band’s advice, but the latter have committed to hearing families. Nevertheless, In the very short term, it will allow you to relaunch the activity and lower tensionshe promised.

The ministers promise to review their copy concerning the consultation processes. the main source of dissatisfaction on the side of the Atikamekw. It’s part of the things we want to work. that’s what we agreed with theAPNQLto have ways of innovative, creative, which allow you to hear properly and to keep the legitimacy of band tipssaid Ian Lafrenière.

We cannot work in 2025 in forestry without involving First Nations. so we are in the how, and we will work on itMAïté Blanchette Vézina bill 97: faced tension pressure, abolished.

The Minister also says she wants to take into account a global economic context which precludes Quebec forest industry. challenges related to climate change.

Bill 97: faced tension pressure,

It takes political courage

The current forest conflict affects. among other things, Nitaskinan, the ancestral territory of Atikamekw, but tensions have been lively for several years. In 2022. dissatisfied with the cups operated by the forest industry, members of the Atikamekw nation had already set up several dams near the communities of Manawan, Wemotaci and Opitciwan.

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Constant Awashish, the great chief of the Atikamekw nation, acknowledges that the current mobilization around the dams has made it possible to accelerate procedures started for a long time.

It is always in crisis situations that the government moves.. It became unbearable, there were confrontations about to break out on the territory.

The government could no longer deny reality. There is a lot to settle and it takes political courage. It takes good faith, that’s what we askhe continues.

On Wednesday. bill 97: faced tension pressure, the Atikamekw nation published a press release in which it announced the implementation of various tools to try to resolve the conflict, while insisting that it continues to oppose Bill 97.

Among the solution tracks. there is first the reactivation of a high -level table, like that created in 2023 following an agreement between the Quebec government and the Atikamekw nation to, already, improve dialogue concerning the management and development of forest and fauna resources.

The table includes people capable of making decisions, highly placed people, to allow more agility and more speed in decisions. We hope, at leastspecifies the great chef.

Meetings are also planned in each of the communities to collectively establish the orientations to be favored in. terms of forestry.

For its part. the forest industry proposed the implementation of a pilot project to work with the Atikamekw nation to a bill 97: faced tension pressure, development plan and to experiment with new forest practices.

Will communities accept? I don’t knowcontinues Constant Awashish. We are not necessarily for conflicts and to stop development, but we want it to be done correctly.

He regrets that, too often, consultations are not made correctly, and that families’ requests are not respected.

Bill 97: faced tension pressure,

The situation remains very tense

This is the situation of a family. the Cocoo family, which increased the tension on a notch last week.

She called on the Mamo First Nations collective to defend her interests and protest against cuts on her territory. The group then asked forest workers to leave, which generated strong tension.

A confrontation was preparing for Monday, according to the chief.

We saved the furniture at the end of the week. but it’s not worth saying it’s for a long time.

Particular attention will therefore be paid to the territory of the Coocoo family, where the resumption of the cuts is deemed unrealizable as long as adequate consultations and harmonization with the chief of territory has not been carried out.

There. people are calm, but the government must demonstrate that there is a real desire to act and a real desire to sit seriously with the First Nations. Because they are no longer able to wait, as are forestry workerswarns Constant Awashish.

Our tool is diplomacy, even if it starts to be difficult to believe it. People are fed up. they say that diplomacy is not working and that they bill 97: faced tension pressure, will take matters into handhe also warned.

The government will have to work very hard to convince us.. The ball is in his camp. He must very quickly demonstrate his desire to act, because we have almost no more control. People are tanned from the lack of will and good faith of the government.