Regional agreements for indigenous lands and cultures in Canada : a discussion paper

Abstract

This paper focuses on the historic James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975), and the more recent Inuvialuit Final Agreement (1984), the Yukon Umbrella Final Agreement (1990) and the Nunavut Final Agreement (1993). The negotiation of the agreements has been a very complex and protracted process. The agreements give the indigenous parties: legislatively-defined freehold and usufructuary rights to areas traditionally occupied and used; financial compensation for land given up; and rights to advise government agencies and share in the making of decisions regarding wildlife conservation and resource development.