In The News Protection of woodland caribou The JBACE wrote to the ministers responsible to ask them to carry out a regional assessment of impacts of forestry roads on the habitat of woodland caribou. See excerpt of letter to the Minister of the Environ-ment of Canada and the Minister for Natural Resources and Wildlife of Québec.   Northern Plan The JBACE sent a letter to the Interdepartemental Committee to emphasize the relevance of a strategic environmental assessment of the transportation sector in the Northern Plan.

The James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment (JBACE) is composed of representatives of three governments: Canada, Québec and the Cree Regional Authority. It was established for the purpose of advising these governments concerning the adoption of policies, laws and regulations or measures having environmental or social consequences for the Cree Nation. The JBACE also oversees the administration and management of the environmental and social protection regime established by the 1975 James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA). This regime provides for a special status and involvement for the Cree people in the impact assessment of development projects in the Agreement Territory.

When studying issues such as drinking water quality, residual materials recycling, access to the Territory or the creation of protected areas, the JBACE always places emphasis on the rights guaranteed to the Crees under the JBNQA. These rights deal with a way of life and system of land ownership driven by hunting, fishing and trapping.