From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 28 of 36
An Agreement for the North
1975
In 1975, the Cree and the Inuit signed a major agreement with governments and government-owned companies. The James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement addressed land, rights and community services.
Look together
Why write an agreement down?
An idea to try
Draw together the map of an imaginary territory and decide as a pair where a road goes, with no one deciding alone. Talk about how it feels not to be consulted.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Signed on November 11, 1975, the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement was Canada’s first modern treaty. It followed Cree and Inuit opposition to hydroelectric work begun without their consent. The agreement defined land categories, harvesting rights and structures for services.
The signing is symbolic. A complex agreement does not end every disagreement: discuss why people should be heard before decisions affect the place where they live.
Sources and illustration notes (3)
Symbolic signing; the real signatories are not portrayed.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Canadian Museum of History — When Cree and Inuit Transformed Modern CanadaThe Cree and Inuit alliance; the first modern treaty in Canada, signed in 1975.
- Radio-Canada — Il y a 40 ans, la Convention de la Baie-James était signée (in French)Signed on November 11, 1975; signatories Billy Diamond, Charlie Watt and Zebedee Nungak; a territory of 1,082,000 km²; $225 million in compensation.
- Makivvik — James Bay and Northern Québec AgreementNovember 11, 1975; negotiations, signatories, lands, rights and services.
Page prepared on September 19, 2026. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
This drawing is from the book Québec’s Great Moments to Colour
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