Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government
Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government (French: Gouvernement régional d’Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, Cree: ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐊᔅᒌ ᒉᐃᒥᔅ ᐯᐃ ᐊᔅᒌᐤ ᑎᐹᔨᐦᒋᒑᐎᓐ iiyiyiw aychii cheimiy pei aychiiw tipaayihchichaawin) is the administrative body in charge of the local municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay in the Jamésie (TE) in administrative region of Nord-du-Québec. It is the largest country third-level subdivision by land area worldwide.
People | Eeyou / Eenou ᐄᔨᔫ / ᐄᓅ |
---|---|
Language | Eeyou / Eenou Ayimūn ᐄᔨᔫ / ᐄᓅ ᐊᔨᒨᓐ |
Country | Eeyou / Eenou Istchee ᐄᔨᔫ / ᐄᓅ ᐊᔅᒌ |
History
On July 24, 2012, the Quebec government signed an accord with the Cree (Agreement on Governance in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Gouvernement du Québec) which resulted in the abolition of the local municipality of Baie-James and the creation of the local municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay.[1] The agreement came into force on January 1, 2014, and is designed to give the Cree expanded powers over lands and resources outside of the Cree municipalities and associated reserved land. The new government consist of Cree and Baie-James residents each having an equal number of votes.[2]
Overview
The Regional government covers a territory comprising all lands of Jamésie (TE) minus the four local municipalities (municipalité locale) — also known as the enclosed municipalities' — of Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Chapais, and Matagami, and eight of the nine Cree communities (communautés crie) of Eeyou Istchee TE.
However, the territory includes four unconstituted localities (localités):
- Radisson
- Valcanton
- Val-Paradis
- Villebois
Government
Composition & local governance
The territory outside the enclaved Cree communities (Category III lands) is governed by the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government (le Gouvernement régional d’Eeyou Istchee Baie-James).[3] Local governance is carried out by way of the council of regional government, which for its first ten years is to be composed of 11 Cree representatives, 11 Jamésien representatives, and one non-voting representative of the government of Québec.[4] The Cree representatives consist of the Grand Chief of the Cree Nation Government and then ten members appointed by the Board of the Cree Nation Government from within its own ranks. The Jamésien representatives consist of members of the local municipal councils of Chapais, Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quévillon, and Matagami as well as non-Crees in the Eeyout Istchee James Bay Territory and are appointed by the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy.[4] Finally, the non-voting representative of the government of Quebec is appointed by the Deputy Minister of the Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire (MAMROT) from amongst its staff.
Current composition
Chairperson: Grand Chief Dr. Abel Bosum
Cree representatives
- Mandy Gull (Vice-president of the GREIBJ and Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec)
- Norman A. Wapachee (Vice-president of the Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec)
- Curtis Bosum (Chief of the Cree Nation of Oujé-Bougoumou)
- Raymond Shanoush (Chief of the Cree Nation of Eastmain)
- Christina Gilpin (Chief of the Cree Nation of Wemindji)
- Irene Neeposh (Chief of the Cree Nation of Waswanipi)
- Daisy House (Chief of the Cree Nation of Chisasibi)
- Clarence Jolly (Chief of the Cree Nation of Nemaska)
- Robbie Kawapit (Chief of the Cree Nation of Whapmagoostui)
- Michael Petawabano (Chief of the Cree Nation of Mistissini)
- Clarke Shecapio (Chief of the Cree Nation of Waskaganish)
Jamésien representatives
- Manon Cyr (President of GREIBJ and Mayor of Chibougamau)
- Claudine Desgagnés (President of the locality of Valcanton)
- René Dubé (Mayor of Matagami)
- André Elliott (President of the locality of Villebois)
- Guy Lafrenière (Mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon)
- Sébastien Lebrun (President of the locality of Radisson)
- Denis Lemoyne (Councilor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon)
- Isabelle Lessard (Mayor of Chapais)
- Jonathan Mattson (Councilor of Chibougamau)
- Luc Michaud (Councilor of Chibougamau)
- Alain Poirier (Councilor of Chibougamau)
Government of Québec representative
- Philippe Boivin
Regional governance
The enclaved settlements are not under the jurisdiction of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government unless an enclaved settlement, by a unanimous vote of its local council, requests partnership with the regional government.[5] In that instance, the territorial regional government may carry out the powers of a regional county municipality (RCM).[5]
References
- Lia Lévesque (24 July 2012). "Québec et les Cris signent une entente pour un gouvernement régional". La Presse. La Presse Canadienne. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
- "Governance". GREIBJ-EIJBRG. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- "Territory". GREIBJ-EIJBRG. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- "Composition". GREIBJ-EIJBRG. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- "G-1.04 - Act establishing the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government". legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca. Retrieved 8 December 2017.