Quebec appeals Superior Court decision on mining claims on Indigenous territory [Video]

An Algonquin community is denouncing Quebec’s decision to appeal a court ruling that the province had a duty to consult Indigenous communities before granting mining claims on ancestral territories.

The Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation, also known as the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, disagreed Wednesday with the government’s decision to appeal a ruling handed down on Oct. 18.

“Mining jeopardizes our lands, our rights and the wilderness we have preserved for generations,” said Chief Casey Ratt in a statement, which noted that ”Quebec has chosen to appeal the decision, prolonging the legal wrangling instead of seeing this as an opportunity to move forward in the reconciliation process.”

A constitutional obligation

Last October, Superior Court Justice Chantal Masse affirmed that Quebec did indeed have a constitutional obligation to consult the Indigenous community when granting claims for mineral exploration on its territory. She also ruled that the province must now consult and accommodate First Nations appropriately …