Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
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Phonetic: Wass-ka-ga-nish

Geographical location of territory

Territory map

Company Name1 : The Crees of the Waskaganish First Nation
Chief: Mr. Gordon Blueboy
Deputy chief: Mr. Steve Diamond
Councillors:

Mr. Marty Cowboy
Ms. Ruth Salt
Mr. Simeon Trapper
Mr. Walter Hester Jr
Ms. Stacy Bear
Mr. Raymond Blackned
Mr. Hugo Hester
Mr. William T. Hester
Mr. Roderick Jonah

Languages: Cree, english
Adress:

P.O. Box 60
Waskaganish (Québec)
J0M 1R0

Phone: 819-895-8560
819-895-8980
Fax: 819-895-8901
819-895-2800
 
Web site: www.creeculture.ca/f/land_people/waskaganish.html


DEMOGRAPHY

Population
Number of persons
within the community
Number of persons
outside the community
Total
2 060 390 2 450

Reference: Indian Registry, INAC, December 2008


GEOGRAPHY

Territory Name: Waskaganish
Type of territory: Lands of category 1A in accordance with the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement
Surface: 4 925 hectares (12 169.94 acres)
Localisation:  The community is located on the shore of Rupert Bay, south of James Bay.
Remoteness Factor: No year-round road access and the community have to engage superior transportation cost to reach the nearest service center.


POLITIC

Elections: Customary process (Cree-Naskapi Act)
Tribal Council 2: Grand Council of the Crees
Member of Parliament:

Mr. Yvon Lévesque, Bloc Québécois (BQ)
Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou

Provincial MNA:

Mr. Luc Ferland, Parti Québécois (PQ)
Ungava


ECONOMY

Economic activities are concentrated primarily in arts and handcraft, commerce and services, trapping, construction, transport and outfitters.

The territory is home to twenty or so businesses, including: cleaning devices, arts and handicraft, bingo, commercial centre, boat factory, gas station, hotel, general store, furniture, hardware store, restaurant, bank services, consultants, taxi, clothing.


EDUCATION

Data not available (Crees and Naskapis education is managed in accordance with the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement).


COMMUNITY SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURES

Fire protection: Fire station, firefighting equipment
Police services: Provided by the Aboriginal police force recognized under an agreement between the Cree Regional Authority, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec.
Medical care: Dispensary managed by the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.
Waste disposal: Landfill site, garbage collection by the Band council
Main community facilities: Church, community radio station, community hall, arena, gathering place, clinic, band administration and educational building.
Water Supply: Treated surface water
Sewers: Gravity sewers
Road system: Data not available
Housing Units: Data not available
Electricity: Provided by Hydro-Québec

Définitions:
1) Company Name: The corporate name of a company or a civil company (i.e. its name) is often made of credits, which name in a general way the company or the civil company, and of specific, which distinguishes this company from the others.
2) Tribal Council: Tribal Councils are defined as institutions established as a grouping of bands with common interests who voluntarily join together to provide advisory and/or program services to member bands.
3)

Band School: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) funds Band councils and First Nation education authorities for the education of children in Kindergarten to Grade 12 who attend schools on reserves or who attend provincially-run schools off reserve.

Approximately 60% of First Nations students are taught on reserve, almost always in schools operated by a Band council, another First Nations organization, or a federal school.

4) Post-Secondary Education Programs: Indian Affairs and Northern Development (INAC) provides financial support to eligible Status Indians and Inuit students under broad authorities of the the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Act to continue their education.

For further information on this community please call at 1-800-567-9604 or click on this link toward community profiles of Statistics Canada (2006 Census).

Last profile update: December 9th 2008