Crees in northern Quebec taking extra measures to keep camps secure from theft

Some Crees in northern Quebecare taking action to keep their traditional camps more secure againstbreak-ins and thefts.

Last month, Noah Cheechoofrom Mistissini heard about localcabins being broken into. He decided to take a drive out through the logging road to his family campsite to check up on it.

"Sure enough, it got broken into. The doors got kicked in," Cheechoo recalled.

"It was an overwhelming experienceto us, that kind of shock."

With the door lock completely broken, the familyfound that traditional paddles, snowshoes, artwork and blankets were missing. Cheechoosaid his mother-in-law's cabin nearby was alsobroken into.

"I've been with my wife and the family for over 20 years We've never experienced this before. Our camp, our cabins never got broken into," said Cheechoo.

"[Our kids] have very fond memories of their late grandfather. It's a very sentimental spot, a special place for us."

Clayton Tomatuk, chairperson of the Cree Trappers Association, said he doesn't know how many camps are broken into in the area each year, but said he has noticed more people are securing their cabins.

That's changing the way people hunt, according to Tomatuk.

"When I was a kid, people never locked their cabins and their campsites," Tomatuk said, in Cree.

He recalled that people would often leave behind supplies and leave their doors open in case people needed them in an emergency.People could help themselves, as long as they left the cabin in good condition.

Tomatuk says it's different now.

"People were starting to abuse that [generosity] ... they would take things like a Ski-doo, four-wheelerThat's when people would start securing their cabins with plywood, locks, and double locks," Tomatuk said.

Noah Cheechoo'sfamily chose not to report the break-ins to La Sret du Qubec or the Eeyou Eenou Police Force (EEPF) because they felt it wouldn't accomplish anything.

Instead, they installed security cameras around their property.

"Now we have cameras set up in place, and for sure we would have somebody on camera that we could use to report," said Cheechoo.

Tomatukalso uses video surveillance athis own traditional camps and he encourages others to make the investment too.

"Generally, it's our own people do that, to our own our people," said Tomatuk.

Tomatukalso argues that people should always report instances of theft, even without video surveillance footage.

"In order for us to put an end to that, we need to keep reporting these vandalisms and break-insand any disrespected camps," said Tomatuk.

"If we don't report it, they'll just keep doing it because they'll think nobody's doing anything."

Cheechoosuggests local communities coulduse gates again at logging roads, with security people keeping track of who uses the roads. Many of those roadslead to traditional camps.

"I really like the idea during COVID-19 [and forest fire season], when there were gates keeping track of who's coming in and out of the community," said Cheechoo.

Tomatuk, however, thinks the idea of bringing back gates could be controversialas it might suggest people were being denied access to the land.He says if communities bring back gatekeepers, they should not turn people awaybut onlymonitor who enters and leaves certain areas.

"I think it would be better, because that way we have a better control of who went in and who went out and what did they get? What do they have?" Tomatuk said.

Winschgaoug (Cree)8:47CTA Chairperson Clayton Tomatuk responds to cabin break-ins