The James Bay and Northern Quebec Accord is the fundamental charter of rights created. It is the first modern Aboriginal land agreement and treaty in Canada and is protected by the Canadian Constitution. The rights of the Cree Treaty, as defined in the Agreement, may not be modified or waived without Cree`s consent. Future generations of Cree will continue to benefit from these contractual rights. Since 1975, Cree Nation has signed more than 75 agreements with the federal and provincial governments. This section presents summaries of the 7 main agreements. Under this proposed contract, Cree`s rights to continue to occupy and operate offshore territory are expressly recognized by the Canadian Constitution. The agreement also creates an Impact Assessment Board, a Planning Commission and a Wildlife Board. This is an important and historic agreement, and I will be coming to the Cree communities to inform you of their content and hear your views. This conservation strategy therefore aims to support the development of protected areas, both in the terrestrial and marine regions of Eeyou Istchee. The Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement of 2008, which settled the offshore claim of the Nunavik Inuit, contains a language describing this agreement, as does the Cree Offshore Agreement signed on July 7.

In 1975, the Grand Council of Cree signed the James Bay Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) to ensure that Eeyou/Eenou`s traditional activities continue to be carried out without binding restrictions. Three years later, the Cree Trappers` Association (CTA) was established as a non-profit organization in accordance with the agreement. The James Bay Creates of Quebec acquired most of the country covered by the southernmost island chain of the territory of Nunavut, through an offshore claim agreement signed on July 7 in Chisasibi, Quebec. . . .