Resolute Clarifies Woodlands Operations near Barrière Lake, Que.
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The Algonquin First Nations held a protest this past week in front of Resolute Forest Products' headquarters in Montreal, Que. Canada. In response to the protest, Resolute issued a statement clarifying its ongoing woodlands operations in the Barrière Lake area located in the Outaouais region of Quebec.
According to Resolute, the wood volume allocation near Barrière Lake was granted to Resolute by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (QMNRW) under the terms of the Forest Act of the province of Quebec. This wood allocation supplies the company's sawmill located in Maniwaki.
As per rulings issued by the Supreme Court of Canada, Resolute said that the QMNRW has developed and implemented a consultation process with First Nations communities that must be completed before any cutting permit can be authorized. Resolute's right to harvest in the area has been approved by the QMNRW, following appropriate consultation with the Barrière Lake Algonquin band council.
Resolute has managed woodlands in the Barrière Lake area for four years and also has several partnerships with a number of Aboriginal communities in Quebec and Ontario. The company noted that "the current controversy seems to be linked to political tensions within the Lake Barrière community, and Resolute regrets being at the center of this internal dispute. The company continues to work collaboratively with local government and First Nations authorities."
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