A company proposed to open a mine in an area subject to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) that had been entered into by the governments of Canada and Quebec with the Grand Council of the Crees (of Quebec) and the Northern Quebec Inuit Association in 1975. The question before the Court was whether, given the adverse impact the mine would likely have on fish habitat, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act applied. The Court held that application of the Act was not excluded by the JBNQA, but the review procedure under the Act had to be applied so as to fully respect the duty of the Crown to consult the Indigenous parties regarding the potential impact of the project on their treaty rights, in accordance with Haida Nation v. British Columbia (2004), Taku River Tlingit First Nation v. British Columbia (2004), and Mikisew Cree First Nation v. Canada (2005).