The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) learned, through the media, that a Quebec Summit on Land Use Planning would be held virtually on January 27th. Not only does the program that has been unveiled completely ignore the concerns, rights, and claims of First Nations, but this announcement also goes against what Minister Laforest stated to AFNQL Chiefs during her participation in the First Nations and Quebec Grand Economic Circle, last November, in Montreal. On that occasion, when questioned by AFNQL Chiefs on the “National Strategy on Urbanism and Land Planning” (Stratégie nationale d’urbanisme et d’aménagement des territoires), the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing committed to holding political level discussions with First Nations on this specific subject matter, considering the level of discontent expressed by several Indigenous communities with regard to this Strategy which was developed unilaterally, by Quebec.
AFNQL Chiefs are opposed to any form of government strategy, policy, or development project impacting their territories without, as a priority, being actively involved in discussions. “This announcement is yet another announcement that illustrates the lack of sensitivity, even contempt of the CAQ government towards our territories,” said Interim Regional Chief Lance Haymond. It is, moreover, in this context that last Fall, the AFNQL Chiefs in Assembly adopted a Territorial Declaration to officially advise the Quebec government that First Nations’ elected officials would not hesitate to use all means at their disposal to protect their territories and their inherent, ancestral and treaty rights from any action or policy put forward by the province that is prejudicial to their peoples.
About the AFNQL
The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador is the political organization that brings together 43 First Nations Chiefs in Quebec and Labrador.
