The James Bay Cree Nation has commenced an action in the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, to obtain recognition of the Cree Nation's Aboriginal title and Aboriginal rights over its traditional territory in northern Ontario, Eeyou Istchee - Ontario. The lawsuit, filed against the governments of Canada and Ontario, seeks declarations of Aboriginal title (on a shared basis with other Aboriginal nations) and Aboriginal rights over approximately 48,000 square kilometres of lands located south of James Bay and immediately west of the Ontario-Quebec boundary. In addition, the lawsuit claims damages of $495 million for past breaches of the Cree Nation's rights in relation to these lands.
Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come calls the suit the latest chapter in the Cree Nation's struggle to ensure that its pre-existing rights over all of its traditional lands are properly respected.
"The imposition of the Ontario-Quebec boundary cut through our homeland of Eeyou Istchee," Coon Come said in a release. Our people have used, occupied, governed and protected these lands in Ontario since time immemorial, but our rights in these lands have never been addressed in any treaty," he said.
View March 8, 2016 CBC News article
View March 7, 2016 Newswire article
View March 7, 2016 Global News article
View November 4, 2015 CTV News article
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