NL Govt. Orders (Quebec) Innu out of Labrador
The following contains excerpts from an article today in the Globe and Mail (or Mop and Pail for those who live in Newfoundland and Labrador)
By RHÉAL SÉGUIN
With a report from The Canadian Press
June 6, 2008
With a report from The Canadian Press
June 6, 2008
QUEBEC -- More than 100 Innu families from Quebec occupying land in Labrador are being evicted by the Newfoundland and Labrador government as part of an escalating confrontation over land rights involving resource development and hydroelectric projects.
A lawyer for the Innu said yesterday the people of the Uashat-Maliotenam reserve in northeastern Quebec will take matters into their own hands if they are forced off the land.
"I've heard people saying that if they tear down our cabins, there won't be a single cabin standing, whether it's Innu or a non-Innu cabin, in Labrador," Armand MacKenzie said.
"We're going to call it 'Labrador Burning.'
The government posted the eviction notices late last month, and have given the families 60 days to demolish and remove "cabins located at or near Nairn Bay" in western Labrador.
Mr. Williams told reporters in St. John's yesterday that the Quebec Innu recently erected the cabins in the region, and government lawyers are questioning whether the action is legal.
Mr. Williams said he isn't sure why the cabins were built, but added that they appeared after discussions intensified on the development of the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project. He believes the Innu moved in to assert their land claim over the territory, which would be affected if the hydro project goes ahead.
Mr. MacKenzie pledged to challenge the eviction notice in court. He said that some of the structures were built many years ago on the land, and that the Innu occupied it long before Newfoundland and Labrador was formed.
The Innu argue that their traditional homeland, which also cuts across part of Quebec, belongs to them under aboriginal title, and that resource development, especially hydroelectric projects, cannot proceed without their consent.
The entire article can be viewed at: Globe and Mail
10 comments:
This is nuts, from VOCM News today:
The Mayor of Labrador City is expressing concerns over threats from Quebec Innu concerning their land. The Quebec Innu were recently given eviction notices from the provincial government for the properties their cabins are built on. Yesterday the Innu sent a response threatening to burn down any cabins owned by Labrador West residents that sit on Innu land.
Mayor Graham Letto says that type of response is distrubing. He says threats to perform another "Mississippi Burning" by burning down those cabins belonging to Labradoreans is quite disturbing. Letto says he also understands the provincial governments stance because any one other than an innu would have to leave the land without any questions. Letto says a solution must be found before chaos break loose. He says his main goal is to make sure no lives are lost nor properties damaged. He says he's hopeful some kind of solution can be found before it's too late and they are going to keep a close eye on the situation.
Pawns!
tools used to draw attention away from the real criminal.At least the enemy comes from the same province !!!
What's a Quebec Innu? It is hard for nflders to understand that the Innu people are one.
I will now say that I understand the term “the silence is deafening”. From the complete lack of response from your reader’s Patriot I can feel how the fires deep in the belly’s of every Labradorean and Newfoundlander must be rising when they read such total and complete nonsense prepared by Rheal Seguin.
First and foremost I would like to educate Armand Mackenzie that his treats of terrorism will have no merit against the will and resolve of the Labradian and Newfoundland people. And, while I’m at it I will provide the statements made and the definition of the word.
1) The definition of the word - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism
2) The Outrageous threats made against the people of Labrador and Newfoundland, and I quote Mr. Mackenzie here patriot as saying this ,
"I've heard people saying that if they tear down our cabins, there won't be a single cabin standing, whether it's Innu or a non-Innu cabin, in Labrador, We're going to call it Labrador Burning. If [Newfoundland Premier] Danny Williams wants to pick a fight with the Quebec Innu, he'll get it. He'll get it and we'll have a social crisis in Labrador."
Now patriot this is were I rant again on how the federal government of this country is useless and must be sent flying from St Johns .Do laws made in Quebec now rule our great province. What I am referring to Patriot is this
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/44/047.html
This law in no way has any authority in a Newfoundland and Labrador court. But, what really makes my belly laugh is this
"This is our homeland. We have sacred sites here. They are recognized by all the residents of Labrador. This is where we hunt.”
What a complete crack pot Patriot. I would like someone with an ounce of common sense to just stop and look at the map.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=Uashat-Maliotenam%20reserve%20in%20northeastern%20Quebec%20&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il
These individuals want sane people to think that from their reserve in Southern Quebec they walk or use horse’s or dog sleds to travel this distance to quote “bury their dead” This is nothing more then the government of Canada and Quebec to pushing Labrador separatists to make a stand for the government of Canada .In other words the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Having Quebec interfere with the governing of our Province and promoting separation fro Labrador.
The strongest point that I would like to make here patriot is the fact when I now rant in regards to how being Canadian is hurting us more then it helps ,I would love to use this as an example.
No one in your forum as I can see has said anything along the lines that Newfoundland and Labrador doesn’t recognize the Innu people as a nation, but we get ignorant statements such as what this anon has said
What's a Quebec Innu? It is hard for nflders to understand that the Innu people are one.
June 08, 2008 1:57 AM
Complete ignorance.
This is nothing more then Quebec along with Canada pushing it’s will on the people of Labrador and Newfoundland .Trying to push their unlawful case on the people of this province. Trying to take money that is not theirs but moneys rather that belong to the Innu of Labrador. The people that live and contribute to our province.
“ The Innu people are frequently categorized into two groups, the Montagnais who live along the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in Quebec, and the less numerous Naskapi who live farther north. The Innu themselves recognize several distinctions (e.g. Mushuau Innuat, Maskuanu Innut, Uashau Innuat) based on different regional affiliations and various dialects of the Innu language. “
All I can say that the more pressure that Ottawa and Quebec put on our great province the more resolve we shall have to create a case for Independence. The federal system is not working and trying to blame Danny Williams for problems created by the Quebec and the Federal Governments will not go very far in our province. It will only be seen as Ottawas failure to once again try and better the lives of those that do live here..
Regardless, the resource goes to better the people of Labrador .NOT Quebec .period and hiding behind a lie will not go far with this Premier.
Long live the " Republic Of "
Heres one for the Province.Right on Danny !!! ( Cause thats his name )
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/06/05/quebec-innu.html?ref=rss
The CBC article Calvin identified quotes an Innu spokesperson saying:
"The fact is we are indigenous to the land … and then suddenly to receive a notice from the government of Newfoundland telling us that we are strangers in our homeland?" MacKenzie said.
Then the story goes on to say:
Labrador is home to two communities of the formerly nomadic Innu: Sheshatshiu, in central Labrador, and Natuashish, on Labrador's northern coast.
Question: First of all, I thought native groups traditionally believed that nobody actually owned land, yet this guy calls the area "his homeland".
Also, if Innu groups are tradionally nomadic as the article says then doesn't that, by definition, mean that historically they did not permanently settle any land, Labrador or otherwise?
I have nothing against native peoples hunting and fishing or travelling across borders but we cannot turn back time.
The Quebec Innu may not recognize the borders (nor does the Quebec government for that matter) but those borders exist and there are ramifications to people moving back and forth across them.
Whether the Innu like it or not the borders exist and their settlements are on the Quebec side of it. Time cannot be turned back to before Europeans arrived in North America and those borders exist for a reason.
i was wondering if there was any talk between the innu and the NL government on this before the threats started? i do however know the outcome. that story was written hundreds of years ago.
http://nativenet.uthscsa.edu/archive/nl/9501/0103.html
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