Back to ENV 101 - Hastings Sessions
Cineflix Video, ©1996
Northern Quebec province, east & southeast of James Bay. Boreal forest, near southern limits of tundra. Geologically, the Canadian Shield, a vast shallow basin sloping into James Bay/ Hudson Bay. Sparsely inhabited region heavily glaciated in the Pleistocene, now with shallow soils, long winters, heavy snowfall. Radial drainage pattern: rivers all around the basin converge into bay. Two of these rivers relevant to the video: (1) La Grande River, and (2) Great Whale River, farther north. Both drain northwest into James Bay.
The Cree are one of the indigenous, Algonquian-speaking tribes of the boreal forest of northern Quebec. Their ancestors moved into the region probably before 5000 BC. Their traditional way of life depends on hunting, fishing, trapping, and limited gathering of wild plant foods. 80% still maintain this way of life, modified partially with modern technology, and often in addition to part-time or seasonal wage labor. Until recently they wished to have little to do with the outside world, but this has changed in the past 10-15 years due to pressures from the hydro-electric industry. To better familiarize their traditional lifeways and non-destructive adaptations to their harsh environment, they permitted the filming of Cree Hunters of Mistassini, a globally distributed educational video. Some of their communities have developed Web pages to introduce themselves to the outside world. And, they chose to fight Hydro-Quebec through international publicity.
James Bay Hydroelectric, a giant corporation generating power from northern rivers and supplying it to towns and cities of southern Quebec, and also selling it a profitable rates to companies in the northeastern US. H-Q’s self-image: Conqueror of the North, instrument of emancipation of La Belle Province, transformer of Age of Darkness to Age of Light, sacred cow.
Damming of La Grande River, begun in 1975 by Hydro-Quebec. Legal agreement signed with Cree, who claim they were not well informed of the project or its consequences. H-Q agreed to pay Cree $225 million over 20 yrs as compensation for giving up lands and rights along this river. Project flooded Cree graves, destroyed the natural resources of the river, eliminated vast areas of forest, and devastated Cree communities along the river. Loss of traditional ways, break-up of family structure, increased alcoholism, drug abuse, crime, unemployment. Impoverishment, social disruption of southern Cree.
Great Whale Hydro project; proposed building 7 dams on Great Whale River. Would reduce river flow 85-90%, flood 1774 sq. mi. Cost $7.5 billion, create 40,000 new jobs. Needed for economic development. Project promoted by former Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa. Signed $17 billion electric contract with NY Governor Mario Cuomo in 1989. 1990: H-Q decides to go ahead with project, despite opposition of Cree– 15,000 who "would hold hostage" the rest of the province and its economic development. On the side of H-Q: power, money, laws, and military force. Let the Cree take their noble stand; so what? Move over Indians, we’re gonna build.
Culture, traditions, and values all come from the land. Cree have obligation to care for the land, share it, and pass it on to their kids; but not to own or sell the land. "No amount of money can replace the worth of the land." "The land is our connection to the strength of our spirit as a people. The more that is destroyed, the more our spirit is destroyed." Cannot accept or comprehend the principle of financial compensation for destroying the land. Insisted on need for environmental impact study.
"Take our fight to the world." Protest signs: "Hydro-Quebec: Genocide, Ecocide"; "Bourassa’s Dream Is Our Nightmare." 1990 journey by canoe (the Odeyak) from James Bay, via streams and rivers and portages, through s. Canada, New England, to New York City. Claim: US dollars are financing the destruction of Cree territory. Participation of Bobby Kennedy, Jr. Paid $40,000 for ad in NY Times: portrayed JB-II as death warrant for Cree, portrayed Quebec as worst environmental offenders in the world. Involvement of NY Bar Association, Natural Resource Council, Massachusetts legislature, NYC politics.
Under growing popular pressure, NY cancelled its contract with H-Q. H-Q decided to shelve the proposed JB-II, "put it on ice for a while."
Proposed additional dams across the La Grande, farther up-river. Divide and conquer? Offered Cree $50 million, take it or leave it. Socially impoverished southern Cree needed the money, northern Cree feared the publicity impact.