The Canadian North is witness to some of the most innovative efforts by Aboriginal peoples to reshape their relations with “mainstream” political and economic structures. Northern Quebec and Labrador are particularly dynamic examples of these efforts, composed as they are of First Nations territories that until the 1970s had never been subject to treaty but are subject to escalating industrial demands for natural resources.

The essays in this volume illuminate the process of indigenous autonomy and development in northern Quebec and Labrador. Contributors include academic specialists, Aboriginal leaders, and professionals employed within Aboriginal governments who address key conditions for autonomy and development: the definition and redefinition of national territories as cultural orders clash and mix; control of resource bases and maintenance of environments upon which northern regional economies can depend; renewal and reworking of cultural identity; and the healing of community as people cope with the damage inflicted by continued colonial intrusion into Aboriginal lands and lives.

This book will be important to all those who seek a deeper understanding of northern and Aboriginal realities. It concerns issues that we cannot, as a society, afford to neglect.