February 5, 2017
Motion of support for the Algonquins of Barriere Lake
Adopted by the Board of the Ligue des droits et libertés (LDL)
Whereas:
- In 1991, the governments of Quebec and Canada signed an agreement with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (the Trilateral Agreement) aimed at developing an Integrated Resource Management Plan and transitional measures to harmonize the activities on the territory with traditional Algonquin practices;
- The Algonquins of Barriere Lake have never surrendered their rights on their ancestral lands;
- By virtue of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the government has the obligation to consult and cooperate in good faith with the Indigenous Peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources;
- Mining activities on the land of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake do not abide by the obligation to consult Barriere Lake Algonquins and obtain their prior, free and informed consent;
- The Algonquins of Barriere Lake consider that mining activities on their land is incompatible with their way of life and their vision of development.
The Ligue des droits et libertés wishes to express solidarity with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and asks that the Quebec government:
- Implement a moratorium on all mining activities, including claiming, exploring and exploitation, on the territory covered by the 1991 Trilateral Agreement concluded with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake;
- Suspend Copper One’s mining title on the territory covered by the 1991 Trilateral Agreement concluded with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake;
- Respect the Trilateral Agreement on resource management on the land of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake;
- Ensure that laws and policies on mining respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples;
- Consult the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and obtain their free and informed consent, prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources.