Question Period Note: Treaty Negotiation with the Regroupement Petapan

•Canada and the Regroupement Petapan have reached a consensus on the federal Treaty issues. We are confident that negotiations with all parties to the Treaty will reach a positive outcome in the near future.

•Canada will continue to work in a spirit of reconciliation and partnership to define a new relationship based on Treaty.

•Canada remains committed to meeting its legal obligations to consult with the other concerned Indigenous groups before the Treaty is signed.

The Government of Canada and the Regroupement Petapan have reached a consensus on the federal issues of a draft treaty concerning the land claims and self-government of the three Innu First Nations of Quebec (Mashteuiatsh, Essipit and Nutashkuan). The territory under negotiation is located in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region, on the North Shore and in the greater Quebec City area.

Originally, the comprehensive land claims of the Atikamekw and Montagnais (Innu) were accepted by Canada in 1979 and by Quebec in 1980. After the dissolution of the Atikamekw-Montagnais Council, the various Aboriginal groups negotiated of their claims separately.

On March 31, 2004, Canada, Quebec and the Mamuitun mak Nutashkuan Tribal Council signed an Agreement-in-Principle of a General Nature. Back then, the Mamuitun mak Nutashkuan Tribal Council represented the communities of Mashteuiatsh, Essipit, Nutashkuan and Pessamit. The community of Pessamit stopped negotiating in 2005, opting instead for the judicial way.

December 2014, the Federal Court ordered Canada “to engage without delay in serious and thorough discussions with the plaintiff to reconcile as far as possible and in a manner consistent with the honor of the Crown the differences between the Huron-Wendat Nation and the Mashteuiatsh First Nations and the Essipit Innu as to the territory to be covered by the Agreement-in-Principle of General Nature”. Discussions as part of this process initiated in January 2015, are ongoing.

In the fall of 2022, the Innu chiefs, the Premier of Quebec and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations committed to doing everything possible to conclude the negotiation of a draft Treaty no later than March 31, 2023. Negotiators for the governments of Canada and Petapan have reached a consensus on the federal issues of a proposed treaty. However, there are still issues to be resolved with the Quebec government. Regroupement Petapan issued a communiqué on March 31 to its members outlining the status of negotiations and explaining the next steps even if negotiations are not completed.

As soon as the negotiators from the governments of Canada and Quebec and those from Regroupement Petapan reach a tripartite consensus on a draft treaty, a new phase will begin. This phase will eventually allow for consultation with the members of the three Innu First Nations of Quebec (Mashteuiatsh, Essipit and Nutashkuan), as well as consultation with the First Nations whose rights could be impacted by the future treaty.

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