The James Bay Cree and the "Paix des Braves': A Path Toward Reconciliation?

This thesis examines the 2002 Paix des Braves agreement between the government of Qubec and the James Bay Cree and assesses how it has sought to establish a nation-to-nation relationship. The guiding question for this thesis is: Is the Paix des Braves agreement between the government of Qubec and the James Bay Cree an example of reconciliation? Drawing on literature concerning reconciliation, this study argues that the Paix des Braves has failed to reconcile the government of Qubec and the James Bay Cree from a radical perspective. The Paix des Braves agreement remains an agreement that has perpetuates colonialism in James Bay, and thus maintains the subjugation of the James Bay Cree to the government of Qubec. However, this study suggests that the Paix des Braves has reconciled the James Bay Cree and the government of Qubec from an institutional perspective. The living conditions in all nine Cree communities have drastically improved, and the Paix des Braves has offered pragmatic solutions to the social dysfunctions affecting the James Bay Cree. The Cree have gained political and economic autonomy and a level of control over the development of their ancestral lands.