Caring for the land: Nemaska Cree strategies of resistance to the EM-1-A and Rupert Diversion Project in eastern James Bay, northern Quebec

The social and environmental impacts of large-scale industrial development have had direct and extensive impacts on the Cree communities of eastern James Bay, northern Quebec. The signing of the 'New Relationship Agreement' between the Quebec Crees and Quebec Government (2002) formalized measures for local participation in overseeing the management of natural resources and development projects in the region. This initiative purports to provide Crees with a voice in decisions relating to projects that affect their lives and the lands they occupy. In return, the New Agreement paved the way for the development of the EM-1-A & Rupert Diversion Project and ensured the support of the regional Cree leadership.

This study presents the perspectives of the local Cree community of Nemaska on the potential impacts of the EM-1-A & Rupert Diversion Project and examines various political strategies that they have drawn upon to defend their land against the proposed hydroelectric expansion. My findings show that despite formidable obstacles, Nemaska Crees have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to engage a range of political strategies in an effort to voice their opposition to the EM-1-A/Rupert diversion project. Although construction of the river diversion project is now underway, and 'the battle to save the Rupert River' has been lost, this thesis affirms the role and significance of individuals and organizations operating at the local level in articulating and framing the implications of the ecological crises imposed by large-scale industrial development on the 'local'.