TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – The Eeyou Istchee First Nation, represented by the Grand Council of the Crees, the Cree Regional Authority and the Cree Nation of Mistissini on Tuesday filed an intervention in the legal proceedings recently started by uranium project developer Strateco Resources against the Quebec Environment Minister.
In a statement, the Council said Strateco's legal action sought to force the Minister to issue a decision with regard to the authorisation of the Matoush advanced uranium project. Strateco had also asked the court to declare void one of the conditions recommended by COMEX, the environmental review panel established by the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA), that Strateco demonstrate the social acceptability of its project by concluding a written agreement with the Cree Nation of Mistissini.
In their intervention, the Crees sought full rights of participation in the proceedings, and urged the Court to dismiss Strateco's request.
Locals had long been opposed to uranium mining in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territories.
"The importance of social acceptability of proposed development projects in Eeyou Istchee is an essential aspect of the nation-to-nation relationship between the Cree Nation and Quebec. Strateco's legal action represents a fundamental challenge to this principle, and to our treaty rights, particularly the JBNQA," Grand Chief Dr Matthew Coon Come said.
The first court appearance in the proceedings is scheduled for Friday in Quebec City.