Stages of the negotiations
What is the Joint Approach?
The Joint Approach is a text having some 20 pages that was agreed upon by the negotiators of the Mamuitun Table in January 2000. The governments of Québec and Canada as well as the Innu councils of Mashteuiatsh, Essipit and Betsiamites have agreed to this text and made it public in July 2000. The Innu community of Nutashkuan followed suit later.
The text of the Joint Approach (PDF, 155 Kb) establishes the main parameters within which the parties in question have agreed to continue the negotiations; it is on this basis that the agreement-in-principle of a general nature was negotiated.
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What is an agreement-in-principle?
It is an agreement that states principles and a general orientation, without creating a legal obligation for the parties involved. It provides for the negotiation of detailed complementary clauses and agreements.
The agreement-in-principle will serve as a basis for the negotiation of a final agreement that will include a treaty and complementary agreements.
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How can I obtain a copy of the agreement-in-principle made public in June 2002?
- On the Web site of the Indian and Notherm Affairs Canada, by clicking here.
- By requesting, by e-mail, a paper copy of the document at the following address: saa@mce.gouv.qc.ca.
- By writing to or calling the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones at the following address:
Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones
Service des communications
905, avenue Honoré-Mercier
Québec (Québec) G1R 5M6
Phone: 418-643-3166
Fax: 418-646-4918
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What is a final agreement?
The final agreement is negotiated on the basis of the agreement-in-principle. Upon reading the agreement-in-principle, it is clear that there are still many elements that need to be clarified. As a result, the final agreement would be much more detailed than the agreement-in-principle.
The final agreement would include a treaty and complementary agreements.
The treaty would include all the main principles that would be given constitutional protection.
The complementary agreements would be administrative agreements ensuing from the treaty and subject to evaluation and renewal.
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What is a treaty?
The term “treaty” designates a variety of agreements between governments and the aboriginal peoples. A treaty with the Innu nation would include all the main principles that would be given constitutional protection. It would be accompanied by complementary administrative agreements not receiving constitutional protection, the whole forming the final agreement.
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What is a complementary agreement?
It is an administrative agreement which, without benefiting from constitutional protection, would accompany the treaty, with the whole forming the final agreement. This type of agreement might be revised to adapt to changes over the years.
The agreement-in-principle contains several elements that may give rise to a complementary agreement, namely:
- general measures related to access on Innu Assi;
- measures related to access on the Innu Assi of Nutashkuan and concerning residents of neighbouring communities;
- good neighbour agreements between the Innu communities and surrounding communities: public utility, navigability of waters, environmental impacts, protection of wildlife habitats, use of waters, public security and games of chance, video games, amusement machines;
- the exercise of respective powers over regulations governing traditional hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering activities (periods, locations, quotas, gear) and the harmonization of rules governing the construction of camps on Nitassinan;
- commercial trapping regime;
- the precise definition of the real participation processes for the Innu in the planning and management of the territory, resources and the environment;
- economic development measures;
- measures to protect aboriginal heritage sites on public lands;
- the terms and conditions for managing Innu parks, including special terms for the Archipel de Mingan, a part of the Parc de la Pointe-Taillon and Parc régional des Monts-Groulx;
- the conditions pertaining to military activities on Nitassinan;
- the financing of Innu governments, the progressive establishment of an Innu fiscal regime and protection against unfair competition;
- the implementation plan.
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