Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg has submitted a land title claim against the Quebec and Canadian governments, covering extensive land areas in western Quebec. Chief Jean-Guy Whiteduck stated that the claim aims to safeguard the interests of future generations of the western Quebec First Nation by ensuring sustainable management of resources for the benefit of all. The claim, lodged in Quebec Superior Court on October 24, includes a $5 billion lawsuit citing violations of constitutionally protected rights by the Canadian and Quebec governments and Hydro-Québec.
The title claim encompasses eight key regions, such as Gatineau Park, the Baskatong Reservoir, and the Papineau-Labelle wildlife reserve, along with several islands in the Ottawa River like Morris and Kettle Islands. Whiteduck emphasized that Kitigan Zibi never relinquished these lands and clarified that the claim is not intended to impact private landowners within the disputed area.
The legal action is primarily based on the 1760 Treaty of Swegatchy and the Royal Proclamation of 1763 between the British government and the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation. Kitigan Zibi alleges that the transfer of control of Gatineau Park to the National Capital Commission and the construction of the Mercier hydroelectric dam and Baskatong Reservoir by the Quebec government violated these agreements.
Lawyer Julian Riddell, representing Kitigan Zibi, highlighted the case’s potential to establish a precedent in Quebec as the first successful Indigenous title case in the province. Whiteduck mentioned that the recent land claim victory of the Quw’utsun Nation in British Columbia prompted their decision to pursue the current case.
Despite previous refusals by the Quebec government to negotiate, Kitigan Zibi remains hopeful for a resolution that respects their rights and heritage. The First Nation anticipates an agreement with the governments on resource sharing and development of their ancestral lands. The Canadian and Quebec governments, as well as Hydro-Québec and the National Capital Commission, have yet to provide comments on the case.