Cree Nation, Eeyou Istchee (Northern Quebec)
- In Eeyou Istchee, the territory of the Cree Nation in northern Quebec, many governance and other changes and additions have been made to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) since it was signed in 1975. The Cree Nation has two levels of government:
- Local government in each of the Cree communities, with elected Chiefs and councillors
- The Cree Nation Government, a regional entity with an elected Grand Chief and Deputy Grand Chief. Each Cree community’s Chief also sits on the Council of the Cree Nation Government, along with an additional elected representative from their community.
An annual general assembly is held every year in each community and at the Cree Nation level. Information about finances and government decisions is made available to Cree citizens at these annual assemblies, as well as through other reporting mechanisms. For example, Council board meetings of the Cree Nation Government are webcast, and there is a significant viewership.
In addition to the community and regional Cree levels of government, the Cree Nation elects representatives to the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government. Non-Cree communities within the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region also elect representatives to this government, which is responsible for a wide range of land use planning and municipal-type matters on public lands.
