Major project graphite mine will benefit community says Atikamekw chief

Chief Sipi Flamand of Manawan Atikamekw Nation hailed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement that a mine on his ancestral land will be one of the next five “major projects” fast-tracked by the federal government. Last week, Carney announced the second set of five “nation-building” projects his government plans to accelerate. Among those was Nouveau Monde Graphite’s Matawinie Mine, located in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Que., roughly three hours north of Montreal. The mine is located on the ancestral territory of the Atikamekw of Manawan. Flamand and his council signed an impact benefit agreement in support of the project with Nouveau Monde Graphite in late 2024. “After several years of discussions and hard work with the developer,” Flamand told APTN News, “we signed this agreement, which has impacts and benefits.” He said the agreement sought to ensure concrete social and economic gains for the community, and an entry-point for Atikamekw entrepreneurs looking to work on the project. “It also guarantees access to direct benefits for the Atikamekw of Manawan and provides a framework for collaboration based on respect, transparency, and active participation,” he said.  Flamand noted the agreement allows for the creation of, and training for, jobs tailored to community members.  Read more:  PM’s ‘nation-building projects’ include Indigenous-led LNG, hydro, and mining projects Carney’s critical minerals push meets Indigenous realities as Canada races to rival China’s supply dominance Atikamekw businesses will have priority access to contracts and other opportunities. The agreement also promises investment in community programs, a framework for environmental protection and impact monitoring and a joint problem-solving and decision-making mechanism to help smooth the community’s partnership with New World Graphite. According to Natural Resources Canada, graphite has a variety of industrial applications, particularly in building electrical components like electrodes, refractories, batteries, fuel cells, semiconductors, LEDs, and nuclear reactors. Nouveau Monde Graphite claims that the Matawinie mine will have the capability of producing 106,000 tons per year of 97.5 per cent pure graphite for a period of 25 years. “The fact that the Matawini mining project is listed as a major project of national interest also confirms that our rights are known and must be made even better known,” he told APTN. “For us, it also represents an opportunity to consolidate the work we have been doing for several years to ensure that mining activities are carried out with respect for our rights, our territories, and our community priorities.” The Atikamekw Nation of Manawan is located roughly three hours north of Montreal. Flamand added that having a connection to a project of national interest creates an opportunity for the Atikamekw Nation to cultivate economic and trade ties with major industry. “This development must be carried out with full respect for our rights and our vision for the territory,” he noted. “The 2024 agreement aims to put this approach into practice, in particular by opening up economic opportunities for our entrepreneurs, creating jobs for the time being, and also by participating fully in the regional economy. So, on the one hand, it’s only positive for the Manawan community, and on the other, it promotes the Atikamekw workforce in the region.” Change of pace after the battle over forestry Over the past summer, Flamand figured prominently among First Nations leaders who vigorously protested the introduction of Quebec’s explosive Bill 97, intended to reorganize forestry in the province. Flamand, among others, decried Bill 97 as an assault on First Nations rights and title. Quebec Premier François Legault ultimately scrapped the embattled bill and sacked Minister of Natural Resources and Forests Maïtée Blanchette-Vezina, who then quit Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec party to sit as an independent, and called for Legault to step down. For Flamand, there is a lesson for Legault in the way the federal government handled the Nouveau Monde Graphite mine.  “In relation to Bill 97, the Quebec government needs to review its position in its relations with First Nations,” Flamand explained. “What we can understand from the law is simple, and yes, it is problematic, but I think there is also a way to develop the economy, develop the regions, and above all, involve First Nations.” The key issue, he stressed, is free, prior, and informed consent with respect for ancestral rights, tied to good-faith intention to work together toward economic reconciliation. Flamand said governments can only create the right circumstances for partnerships with First Nations by taking concrete steps to show their commitment to the communities with whom they’re partnering. Carney has been criticised for failing to abide by some of these principles in rushing through Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, which his government passed in June over objections from numerous First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders.  They claimed it provided the means for the federal government to skirt obligations for consultation and consent with Indigenous communities. Flamand and the Atikamekw Council of Manawan negotiated their impact benefit agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite when Justin Trudeau was still prime minister, long before Carney’s election or the passage of Bill C-5. The project was, therefore, comparatively uncontroversial for the community even before it was granted major-project status. Yet Flamand is pragmatic about the Nouveau Monde Graphite project, noting that it’s important to remain vigilant around any project of such magnitude. “Protecting the land, water, hunting and trapping areas, and other cultural activities remains a top priority for the Council of the Atikamekw of Manawan,” he said. “We emphasize the importance of respecting the agreement, impacts, and benefits we have with [Nouveau Monde Graphite]. Above all, we must conduct rigorous environmental monitoring and maintain ongoing communication with the community. Recognition as a major project of national interest must also be reflected in concrete actions on the ground.” Continue Reading