“The Nation expects nothing less than CDPQ Infra soliciting and granting mandates to private Wendat entrepreneurs and corporations of the Nation,” indicates the Grand Chief of the Nation, in a press release.
He expects “an upcoming meeting” with the designated project manager, CDPQ Infra, to lay the foundations for this involvement.
The conclusion of formal agreements between CDPQ Infra, the Legault government and the City of Quebec was announced on Monday. The first portion of the project, which will extend from Avenue Le Gendre to Charlesbourg, via Sainte-Foy, Parliament Hill, Saint-Roch and Limoilou, is estimated at $7.6 billion. Its commissioning is planned for 2033.
Although the population of Wendake “will not be directly served” by the service, “the Nation is delighted for the population of the National Capital who will benefit from this new structuring transport network”. The Grand Chief, Pierre Picard, however, reminds the parties involved that “the project is being deployed in Wendat territory and that they therefore have an obligation to consult the Nation in all phases of the project.”
“We must be players of first choice for any major project with the ambition to deploy in our territory. I have confidence that the tramway partners will take the necessary steps and actions.”
— Pierre Picard, great chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation
Mr. Picard believes that this is an opportunity, “in this era of reconciliation”, to “seize the moments, truly take action and be consistent with the speeches”.
“Prevent history from repeating itself”
Still in a press release, the great chief, sworn in on November 21, did not fail to recall that “the government of Quebec had ignored the involvement of the Nation in the framework of the Île d’Orléans Bridge project” .
Last April, his predecessor, Remy Vincent, described as “unacceptable” the absence of Wendat companies in the project to build a new cable-stayed bridge to connect Île d’Orléans to Quebec.
“The Quebec government must recognize that it is not at home. It is on unceded shared territory. There are other people who were there before and who want to continue to live and develop,” Mr. Vincent then pleaded. “We say in the media that we want to do business with the First Nations. […] This is hypocritical talk.”
Mr. Picard assures that all elected officials of the Council of the Nation will do “everything in their power to prevent history from repeating itself.”
