Wendake, September 26, 2024 – In response to recent reports and various comments made regarding unpaid electricity bills by certain First Nations members, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) issues this official statement:
As we prepare to commemorate the sad anniversary of the tragic death of our Atikamekw sister, Joyce Echaquan, and just days before National Truth and Reconciliation Day, the AFNQL is saddened to have to respond to a media movement that undermines reconciliation efforts and only amplifies certain people’s prejudices against First Peoples.
Fundamentally, the issue of paying Hydro-Québec bills must be placed in a broader context, which includes recognition of past harms and a history of exclusion toward our peoples, as well as the need to repair these wrongs. What we are experiencing today is the result of decades of political and economic decisions that have left deep scars on our communities.
This issue is not new, and no one in government should be surprised. More than 30 years ago, the Crown corporation decided not to cut off service to First Nations members who were having difficulty paying their bills. Why have successive governments always agreed to this approach? There are several answers to this question, but one of them is that it is partly because they implicitly recognized the wrongs committed against our peoples. What has been tolerated for three decades cannot be swept aside without deep and serious reflection. If this policy is now being called into question, the Quebec government and Hydro-Québec must accept the consequences and engage in honest dialogue with our governments.
The Quebec government, and more specifically the premier, as the person primarily responsible for relations with First Nations, has a duty to show leadership in this situation. It cannot shirk its responsibilities. The time has come to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and build a shared future based on respect, inclusion, and justice. Relations between our governments and the Quebec government cannot be managed in a piecemeal or reactive manner; they require a long-term commitment, supported by a clear political vision. Last January, the leaders of the AFNQL adopted a resolution on energy, including a key principle on addressing historical damage. It is time for this issue to be included in the priorities with the government and Hydro-Quebec.
The complaints of our First Nations members regarding Hydro-Québec or the exploitation of resources on our ancestral lands are real. The burden of this situation does not fall on individuals, but rather on those who, over the years, have made decisions without taking our realities into account. It is now up to the Quebec government, under the leadership of its premier, and Hydro-Québec to assume their responsibilities and engage in a sincere partnership with our governments to find a fair and sustainable solution.