It is unfortunate (for them) that these indigenous people who were living a pretty simple hunting and gathering live were displaced in order to permit a plantation to be built. At first glance, it appears to us that their life would have been better if they had been left alone.

But, fellow forum member Naval Architect made a very good point when he wrote:

Subsidence living is very good when it's going well (the scenario you described) but there is a downside: starving in times of drought,famine, natural disaster, often regular seasons of little or no food, high levels of infant mortality, short life spans and a dozen other negatives.

A similar situation has played out in Canada, but without the relocation. When European settlers first arrived in Canada many years ago, Canadian aboriginals were living a similar subsistence lifestyle way hell up north on the shores of James Bay - an area so hostile to life in general that no Europeans ever settled within 700 miles of them.

Our government has since provided these aboriginals with housing, food, health care, etc., yet the result has been an unmitigated social disaster, with rampart addiction, dysfunction, suicide, etc... despite the fact that these aboriginals were never relocated and never encroached upon.

I offer no opinion, other than to suggest that 'nothing lasts forever', and that it is unrealistic to hope that any population group can continue to live the same lifestyle in the same place forever. Sooner or later, a point in time will come when it is better off for the group to move. In the case of the Irish during the famine, this was about 1848 or so. In the case of the Canadian aboriginals in Attiwapiskat, this time has since passed.

Here are links to two thoughtful articles about the problems that can arise when indigenous populations are, in fact, left in place with the false hope that they will continue to happily live a subsistence lifestyle. It compares two groups of Canadian aboriginals in the same general area, one of which adapted and joined contemporary society, the other the one that elected to try and continue traditional subsistence living:

'People have to move sometimes': Former Prime Minister Chretien weighs in on Attawapiskat crisis

Why Quebec’s Cree are thriving while misery reigns across James Bay at Attawapiskat

The group in Attiwapiskat may have been fairly content, despite their poverty, prior to the arrival of internet, satellite television, etc. But, now that they can see how the majority of people in contemporary society live, it's pretty clear that the youth of the Attiwapiskat community are not exactly happy with their 'traditional' location and subsistence lifestyle.

Michael