The Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière, reacted to the rejection of the agreement between the Innu community of Pessamit and Hydro-Québec during a referendum held on July 12. With 63% of the vote against, the proposal was rejected by community members. Lafrenière described the initiative as "bold," noting that a window of opportunity had opened due to upcoming elections in both Pessamit and Quebec City. He admitted that the electoral calendar influenced the date of the referendum but insisted that the band council had chosen this date. Despite this setback, the minister recalled that a framework agreement signed in February 2024 has already yielded concrete results, notably the construction of 67 houses in Pessamit.