Boom Property Sold at Auction

Boom Property Sold at Auction

April 17, 2013 (Listuguj) Recently, on April 15, 2013 the LMG, through the efforts of Chief Vicaire, discovered that an auction had been held by the Municipality of Pointe-a-la-Croix on  April 11, 2013, at which time portions of land which had been intended to be transferred to Listuguj, were put up for auction.

According to Pointe a la Croix, the land had been put up for auction because there were unpaid taxes owed by the land occupant; thus, the decision was made to auction off those parcels of land, which were then purchased by  a Point-a-la-Croix community member.

Based on Quebec law, this sale is still conditional, which means that the original occupant of the land has one year to pay the back taxes on the property; and, if taxes are paid,  the original occupant may reclaim the property and the purchaser at the auction would be seized of their rights to the property.

It is the position of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government (“LMG”) that the lands surrounding Listuguj have always been an integral part of Listuguj Mi’gmaq ancestral territory. It is the view of the LMG that Pointe a la Croix municipal staff and leadership were aware of and accepted the plan to have the lands added to the community. The LMG is disappointed about the lack of consideration and consultation by the municipality of Pointe a la Croix. 

“Listuguj will not stand idle and allow government to make unilateral decisions about Listuguj lands, lands that we have never given up our rights or title to, as Mi’gmaq,” states Chief Dean Vicaire. 

BACKGROUND

In 2006, the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government, through an Order in Council, formally advised the Department of Indian Affairs and the Municipality of Pointe a la Croix that it intended to have a strip of land,  referred to as the “Restigouche Log and Boom”, adjacent to the lands formerly known as Busteeds,  added to the reserve. Through our research, LMG discovered that the lots were no longer needed by the former occupants.  Therefore, plans were developed to include these lots as part of the “Additions to Reserve” -ATR process.

For more information, please contact Communication Officer, Mike Isaac, at 418 788-2136, or by email to michael.isaac@listuguj.ca