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Consequences
- What are the consequences of the agreement-in-principle?
- If the final agreement were based on the current agreement-in-principle, would the Quebecers of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the Côte-Nord have a third government, namely an Innu government, in addition to those of Québec and Canada?
- Outside Innu Assi, what would be the main consequences for Québec’s population of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle?
- In Innu Assi, what would be the main consequences for Québec’s population of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle?
- At Pointe-Parent, what would be the main consequences of the eventual setting up of Innu Assi?
- What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle in the wildlife field?
- What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle on vacationing activities on public lands?
- What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle on logging?
- What is a royalty?
- How much would the amount given to the Innu be if Québec shared 3% of the royalties that it collects?
- Will the Innu pay taxes and income tax?
- Why provide for development measures for Essipit given the fact that this community is prosperous?
- If a final agreement were signed by all the parties in question, would the claims and discussions with the Innu cease once and for all?
What are the consequences of the agreement-in-principle?
This agreement-in-principle creates no legal obligation for the parties in question. However, the parties agree to negotiate the final agreement on the basis of the agreement-in-principle.
If the final agreement were based on the current agreement-in-principle, would the Quebecers of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the Côte-Nord have a third government, namely an Innu government, in addition to those of Québec and Canada?
No, because the Innu government would only have jurisdiction over the Innu and the lands that would belong to them, lands known as “Innu Assi”.
Moreover, the Innu government would not have exclusive jurisdiction.
Depending on the subject, the Innu would turn to the Innu, Québec or Canadian government.
As for Quebecers, as they live outside Innu Assi, they would continue to deal with their municipality or the Québec or Canadian government.
Outside Innu Assi, what would be the main consequences for Québec’s population of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle?
Outside Innu Assi, the territory would remain under full Québec jurisdiction, and the current laws of Québec and Canada would continue to apply. The agreement that concern the Innu, such as the management of an enterprise or a park, the sharing of royalties or the confirmation of a hunting or fishing right according to the rules agreed upon, should not influence the daily life of Quebecers whether in cities, villages or the forest.
In Innu Assi, what would be the main consequences for Québec’s population of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle?
In Innu Assi – lands that would belong to the Innu –, the agreement-in-principle stipulates that property rights will be respected, but put under the authority of the Innu government, according to terms to be agreed upon, or fairly compensated.
In all, there are a couple dozen cases, mainly in Roberval, Saint-Prime, Bergeronnes and Les Escoumins.
The Government of Québec intends to establish clear rules to reach mutual agreements with the owners concerned regarding the maintaining, relocation or buy-out of properties in the event of the signing of a final agreement with the Innu.
The other rights granted will be respected until they expire or other terms are agreed upon. It should be noted that the boundaries of the Innu Assi are not final and could be modified if necessary between now and the reaching of the final agreement. In this respect, the Government of Québec intends to negotiate in order to avoid, for example, a property being divided in two by the setting up of the Innu Assi.
At Pointe-Parent, what would be the main consequences of an eventual setting up of Innu Assi?
The Innu Assi planned for Nutashkuan, near Natashquan, would put the citizens of Pointe-Parent in a situation where they would practically be surrounded. The Government of Québec intends to establish clear rules with a view to reaching mutual agreements with the owners concerned regarding the maintaining, relocation or buy-out of the properties in the event of a final agreement with the Innu.
What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle in the wildlife field?
The agreement would make it possible to decide on a framework that would apply to the right to hunt, fish and trap of the Innu and Quebecers.
The Innu governments would regulate the harvesting activities of the Innu. Innu, Québec and Canadian regulations would be harmonized in a complementary agreement dealing with species, periods, areas, quotas, gear, monitoring and control mechanisms. The Innu would have harvesting priority for food purposes, but they would have to take into account the sharing of the wildlife resources with other users. Québec and Canada would retain responsibility for the conservation of the resource, the protection of habitats, the preservation of public safety and public health.
As for the trade in wildlife by the Innu, the proposal for an agreement-in-principle excludes all the species that are subject to a structured resource management regime (salmon, deer, black bear, etc.). Moreover, the potential sale of other species would only be for subsistence purposes and would be governed by the Canadian and Québec laws in force.
Québec intends to see to the harmonization of the rules by taking into account the current existence of private, municipal and structured territories (outfitting establishments, ZECs, parks, etc.). Québec would also like to modernize the management of beaver reserves.
What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle on vacationing activities on public lands?
Nothing in the agreement-in-principle indicates that vacationers on Québec public lands would be prohibited from continuing to enjoy their facilities, even when they are located on a heritage site, and from taking part in their activities. Québec intends to protect the rights of vacationers.
What would be the repercussions of a final agreement based on the agreement-in-principle concerning logging?
The agreement-in-principle does not provide for a veto right for the Innu, but rather a real participation in the government process to manage the resource, according to terms to be agreed upon in a complementary agreement.
The projects of the Innu Assi or Innu parks would not have major repercussions on the available wood supply.
Moreover, Québec would agree to make available to the Innu, according to a timeframe to be agreed upon, a specific volume of good quality wood so that the Innu can take part in the activities of the forest industry.
What is a royalty?
A royalty is a sum of money collected by the Government of Québec from enterprises or individuals who use the natural resources found on public lands. The government collects these amounts as the owner of these resources.
The royalty is calculated on the basis of the use of the resource.
For example, the holders of Timber Supply and Forest Management Contracts (TSFM) pay a royalty of about $11 per cubic metre of wood harvested in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and in Haute-Côte-Nord for the following species: fir, spruce and larch. Outfitters who have exclusive hunting and fishing rights on a territory pay an annual royalty of $33.88 per km2 used on this territory.
How much would the amount given to the Innu be if Québec shared 3% of the royalties it collects?
If Québec shared 3% of its royalties with the Innu, according to the parameters indicated in the proposal for the agreement-in-principle, it would give annually a sum of about $6 million, not to each Innu community, but rather to all nine Innu communities of Québec.
Back to the questions
Will the Innu pay taxes and income tax?
At the present time, pursuant to the federal Indian Act, the Innu who live on Indian reserves do not pay taxes or income tax. While this is seen as a privilege, the Innu are deprived of certain rights.
The agreement-in-principle stipulates that the Innu could pay taxes and income tax to their government to fund the programs and services that it would offer them in the event that a final agreement is reached.
The progressive implementation of an Innu tax and income tax system harmonized with the Québec system is an objective to be achieved for the Government of Québec.
Why provide for development measures for Essipit given the fact that this Innu community is prosperous?
The data of the 2001 census show that the Innu of Essipit have an unemployment rate that is below that of the neighbouring RCM and that, as a result, their income is slightly higher than that of the residents of that RCM.
However, it is important to avoid penalizing Essipit for the fact that it has reached a certain degree of prosperity. In the event of the reaching of a final agreement, Essipit would be better able to support the costs of its programs and services in the place of the federal and Québec governments. What is more, the neighbouring region benefits from the economic activity of Essipit.
Finally and above all, it is important to consider that the Haute-Côte-Nord and Essipit are both in a socioeconomic situation that is below that of Québec, just like the regions of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the Côte-Nord as a whole. One must also take into account the challenge of sharing wealth on a Québec-wide scale.
If a final agreement were signed by all the parties in question, would the claims and discussions with the Innu be settled once and for all?
As the rights of the Innu would be clarified, the final agreement would dissipate the current legal uncertainty.
By signing the final agreement, the parties would have entered into a contract, subject to the rules of application. The parties would go from an era of claims and negotiations to one of dialogue with a view to ensuring compliance with the stipulated rules.
One of the parties in question could always resort to the courts in the event of non-compliance with the agreement by another party, but only after having used all the recourses stipulated in the agreement to resolve the conflicts.
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