The Government of Quebec stated in the Le Quotidien newspaper earlier this month that it will be unable to quickly resolve its dispute with the Cree First Nation or the issue with caribou habitat conservation planning that are the main reasons for the suspension of two of Resolute Forest Products' Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certificates in the Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec.
In the October 3 edition of the newspaper, the Quebec Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Laurent Lessard, said that the suspension of the two certificates for two of Resolute's logging territories revolved around issues that are the government's concern. On December 12, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard reaffirmed that the Quebec government is responsible for both the Joint Approach and caribou habitat files.
Resolute confirms that, following the statements by the Government of Quebec, it will be impossible for the Company to obtain reinstatement of the two Lac-Saint-Jean certificates within the allowed time and without significant socio-economic impact. One of the certificates expired on December 3 and the second, which is currently suspended, will be revoked on January 1, 2015.
In these circumstances, the interpretation of the requirements of the FSC's Boreal Standard, which sealed the fate of the two certificates, led to non-conformities associated principally with the following two issues:
1.) A complex territorial dispute between the Cree First Nation and the Government of Quebec contributed to the FSC auditors' decision to suspend one of the two FSC certificates, even though Resolute has no power to settle this dispute, which is the responsibility of the Quebec government.
2.) The existing caribou habitat conservation plan for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, prepared and implemented by the Government of Quebec, was found by the FSC's auditors to be unacceptable. However, other holders of FSC certificates for neighboring territories in the Lac-Saint-Jean region have had their certificates renewed, despite having basically submitted the same caribou habitat conservation plan that was considered unacceptable when Resolute's FSC certificates were audited.
