Affidavit. [On the Social Impacts of Commercial Forestry on James Bay Cree.]

Abstract

The Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee) requested that I prepare an Affidavit on the social impacts of commercial forestry operations. This was for their court case against the Government of Québec and over two dozen forestry companies operating in the James Bay territory for acting in ways that violated the obligations under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement of 1975, as well as in violation of other legal obligations. My Affidavit was based mainly on my research with Waswanipi people from 1968-70, 1978-85, and 1997-99. Dozens of Cree hunters and families gave affidavits for the court case, and they were the experts. I sought in my statement on impacts to draw on the knowledge that had been shared with me during research with Cree. This was an opportunity to put to reciprocal use the contributions of Cree research participants. I described the current “Northern mixed economy” of hunting and wage labor. Then discussed how Cree community life, including work and education, were adapted to fit with hunting activities and the training of youth. I emphasized how the sharing and reciprocity which were embedded in hunting traditions and practices were important to the foundations of societal reproduction and land stewardship of the Cree. Drawing on dozens of conversations with hunters and their families, I summarized what they said were the impacts of forestry on land, water, game, the regeneration of vegetation and trees, and their lives. I discussed the limits of hunters’ ability to adapt to intensive logging, and the changes I heard were needed in forestry practices. This included the possibilities they saw for joint use of the land with forestry companies if mutual and respectful forestry decision-making was practiced, which they considered a right and a necessity for all involved in the region for the long-term.