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The Indigenous Land Claims in New Zealand and Canada

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ext<strong>in</strong>guishment of their Aborig<strong>in</strong>al rights <strong>and</strong> title” (INAC 1996, 1). Instead, the Federal governmentexpressed a will<strong>in</strong>gness to negotiate alternatives to blanket ext<strong>in</strong>guishment <strong>and</strong> has done so <strong>in</strong>subsequent agreements.<strong>The</strong> second issue, the claim by the Cree “to an ownership <strong>and</strong> jurisdiction of adequateresources <strong>and</strong> direct <strong>and</strong> fair share of the benefit extracted from our traditional l<strong>and</strong>s” (GCC 1998, 3)gave rise to Resolution 18 at the 1997 General Assembly of the Cree. This resolution states that theCrees have,full ownership, titles, claims <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> all m<strong>in</strong>erals, trees, waters, <strong>and</strong> otherresources <strong>in</strong>, under <strong>and</strong> over traditional Cree territory pursuant to their status as a Nation<strong>and</strong> dist<strong>in</strong>ct people; <strong>and</strong> that the JBNQA did not <strong>and</strong> does not completely ext<strong>in</strong>guish allownership, titles, claims <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> all m<strong>in</strong>erals, trees, waters, <strong>and</strong> other resources<strong>in</strong>, under <strong>and</strong> over traditional Cree territory; <strong>and</strong> that the JBNQA does not provide a just,fair <strong>and</strong> appropriate share to the Crees of these resources. (GCC 1998, 4)<strong>The</strong> resolution goes on to m<strong>and</strong>ate the CRA to “enter <strong>in</strong>to discussions with the government of Quebec<strong>and</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> <strong>and</strong> with all developers operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Cree traditional territory, to provide for the mostequitable <strong>and</strong> just Cree participation <strong>in</strong> the use of the natural resources referred to above” (GCC 1998,4). <strong>The</strong>se discussions cont<strong>in</strong>ue.Only time will tell if the efforts of the Cree <strong>and</strong> the Inuit will be successful, but there is reasonto be hopeful. <strong>The</strong> Cree’s view, <strong>and</strong> the similar view of the Inuit of Nunavik, that their Aborig<strong>in</strong>alrights’ to their traditional l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> resources should provide them a sound basis for socioeconomicdevelopment as a dist<strong>in</strong>ct people is consistent with the recommendations of the Royal Commission onAborig<strong>in</strong>al Peoples. <strong>The</strong>ir desire to participate equitably <strong>in</strong> the development of these resources <strong>in</strong>partnership with others <strong>in</strong> a manner that is compatible with their traditional pursuits <strong>and</strong> way of life isconsistent with the Aborig<strong>in</strong>al approach to development as described <strong>in</strong> Figure 1.22

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