Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – The Chiefs of Gespeg, Gesgapegiag and Listuguj thank and salute the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for including Anticosti Island on its list. Anticosti Island is part of the ancestral territory of the Migmaq Nation, the Gespe’gewa’gi. According to Gespeg Chief Terry Shaw: “This nomination is the fruit of a long process in which the Migmaq Nation has collaborated for many years, and we are proud to see part of our territory recognized and protected for future generations.”

However, the elected representatives of the Migmaq Nation deplore the fact that this important announcement, which took place on September 19, 2023, and involved the federal, provincial, municipal and Innu governments, was made in their absence and without their knowledge. Chief Scott Martin of Listuguj commented: “The governments know that Anticosti Island is part of our traditional territory, and it would have been appropriate to invite us to this celebration, but this was not the case. I must admit that we are disappointed by this situation, and it was important for us to express our reaction loud and clear.”

The Migmaq Nation is represented by the Migmawei Mawiomi Secretariat MMS, whose offices are located in the Listuguj community.