Nunavik leaders slam Quebec for slow development

MONTREAL — When the Kativik Regional Development Corporation, Nunavik’s official advisory body on development, held its 20th annual general meeting last week in Montreal, many of its directors were grumbling.

The Quebec government wants the KRDC to help draft a transportation plan that will be submitted in the summer of 2001.

But representatives from Quebec’s ministry of transport and regional development got an earful about how progress in improving Nunavik’s transportation system is already too slow.

Aani Palliser Tulugak said that a delay of two more years before the government takes action is unacceptable for residents of Puvirnituq.

Tulugak says her community is losing patience over its request to have the Puvirnituq’s runway extended so that jets can land there.

Competing groups

Mark T. Gordon, Makivik Corporation’s representative to the KRDC, pointed out that many other isolated regions in Quebec and Newfoundland receive government subsidies to offset the high cost of freight and air travel. He added that Nunavik even lags behind the other regions of Quebec, especially in regard to transportation.

“You haven’t done anything for us,” Gordon said.

While Nunavik has a long shopping list of development needs, it will have to compete with the Cree and the non-native population of the James Bay region to get its priorities for transportation and regional development recognized.

That’s because the Quebec government lumps these three diverse regions and peoples into one huge administrative region called Nord-du-Québec or “the North of Quebec.”

Quebec’s “region number 10” covers 55 per cent of Quebec, but it has only .5 per cent of the population. This artificial administrative body, created in 1987, has around 9,500 Inuit, 12,000 Cree and 18,300 non-aboriginal people.

Meet the “Jamesians”

The Quebec government also recently coined an odd new term for these non-native newcomers who will known in the future as “Jamesians”. Largely French-speaking, the “Jamesians” are congregated mostly in five communities. Their James Bay municipality sits in the middle of traditional Cree territory.

“For the Jamesian population, the Nord-du-Quebec region is essentially an acknowledgement of their very existence. None of the members of this community want to return to the old territorial divisions,” reads a draft Quebec government document on regional development.

The non-aboriginal “Jamesians” are, in fact, the ones who stand to benefit the most from being included in the Nord-du-Quebec region.

Quebec says that any development plans must “defend the interests of the population of Nord-du-Quebec as a whole.” With the highest population of all the groups in the region, the “Jamesians” will have a big voice.

Due to the decline in jobs resulting Hydro-Quebec development, “Jamesians” are sure to fight for more employment opportunities and better infrastructures.

Including the “Jamesians” in any regional development policy or even in the region infuriates the Crees.

Even the Quebec government admits that the relations between Crees and “Jamesians” have been “marked by distrust” — although Quebec maintains that it’s not their fault.

“The Jamesians lack of familiarity with the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement is perfectly understandable, given that it was never explained to them. They were thus never prepared for what would be required to live on good terms with Native peoples in a territory subject to an agreement,” reads the draft document on regional development.

“This lack of knowledge leads to questionable interpretations, faulty comparisons and, in short, to prejudices that have a negative impact on relations about the inhabitants of this territory.”

Conference next year

The KRDC plans to pursue its work on what Nunavik needs. Early in the new year a major socio-economic conference is expected to draw 250 participants from Nunavik who will try to set some regional priorities.

The KRDC continues to administer regional development funds. According to financial statements deposited at the AGM, in 1998 its regional invervention fund gave money to projects such as church renovations, school trips and music festivals.

The KRDC also supported some ill-fated investments that included a $115,000 contribution to the extension of the school in Kangiqsualujjuaq that was damaged by the 1999 New Year’s Eve avalanche, and a loan guarantee of $105,000 to Ipushin Ltd., a caribou commercialization venture which has since gone belly-under.

In 1999, the focus of the KRDC’s contributions has taken a more business-like direction, with the establishment of its Kativik Local Development Corporation.

It supported such projects as Kuujjuaraapik’s community kitchen, the Makitautik halfway house, and the Tasiujaq corner store, all of which created jobs in Nunavik.

The KRDC also helps administer Quebec-funded strategic regional projects for up to $1 million per community over five years and a $5 million fund for new businesses.