On 26 September 2008, Innu Nation leadership in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish signed the ‘Tshash Petapen’ or the ‘New Dawn’ deal with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The deal is not final until the people of Sheshatshiu and Natuashish vote for or against it in early 2009. This historic agreement will facilitate the finalization of an Innu land claims settlement.

The agreement resolves key issues relating to matters between the province and Innu Nation surrounding the Innu Rights Agreement, the Lower Churchill Impacts and Benefits Agreement, and Innu redress for the Upper Churchill hydroelectric development.

The land claims “Innu Rights Agreement” establishes 5,000 square miles as Labrador Innu Lands (Category 1), 9,000 square miles of Crown land as Labrador Innu Settlement Area (Category 2), and 13,000 square miles of Category 3 lands where Innu can hunt, trap and fish without need of provincial permits.

COMMUNITY RESPONSES

“My husband Francis and I were home and listening to the news when we heard that Innu Nation will allow the dam to be built on the Lower Churchill River,” said Elizabeth Penashue, an Innu elder and leader of the community group called Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit that ICIE has been supporting for years. “I was so sad that I could not stop crying and crying. I feel like Innu Nation has said goodbye to the land and to the animals; they think they can just go buy food but people will get sick,” she remarked.

Many Innu felt that they had not been properly consulted on the negotiations of the New Dawn Agreement. In a CBC Radio interview, David Nuke stated that “nobody asked what we wanted; there was a lack of consultations. Only a handful of people will probably benefit from contracts for training programs”.

Greg Pastiche exclaimed that “I was in shock when I heard it; people need to voice their concerns.”

In her interview, Elizabeth Penashue still could not stop crying as she uttered, “animals and fish are going to die; things that belong to Innu are going to die. I remember when my Dad and Mom took me on hunting trips along the Lower Churchill River. People and governments just want money, money, money. I know everybody wants a job but I am very concerned about what is going to happen to the environment and to the people. I am very sad.”

Jim Nui, a resident of Natuashish, expressed his great disappointment that community input was never sought until after the deal was done; in an interview with The Labradorian, he stated that “more public information sessions should have taken place by Innu Nation over the years; they have a job to do and that was to inform the members of the ongoing negotiation. They never did.”

The Labrador Inuit President stated that “there were no consultations with Inuit; this deal will cut off access to our land; our people are being left out of this decision.”

NO DAM WAY

Elizabeth Penashue then organized a four-day walk to Gull Island that departed from Sheshatshiu on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 to demonstrate her opposition to the agreement. A group of twenty people joined her. They carried signs that read: “Consult us”, “Protect our river”, “Money isn’t everything”, and “No dam way”. Elizabeth was very pleased that several young people accompanied her. She had a further message for Premier Danny Williams too: “You better slow down; you have to slow down”. ICIE deposited a small donation in her bank account to pay for the necessary provisions for the walk. The walk was a big success and it received great news coverage for the opponents to the dam.

INNU NATION DEFENDS AGREEMENT

Deputy Grand Chief of Innu Nation Peter Penashue is a big proponent of the agreement and he is the oldest son of Elizabeth and Francis. “It is tough to listen to your Mom,” he said in the CBC Radio interview, “but we do not live in short-term ventures; we need long-term ventures because nothing will get accomplished with short-term things. My Mom is driven by emotion and is very difficult to rationalize.” Peter also claimed that the people were consulted: “I have been on the radio more than anyone else and they knew.”

The agreement however is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition and nothing can be altered in it unless both parties agree. “It’s silly to have a meeting before the actual negotiations. If we were to negotiate with the high level negotiators like the people we dealt with, on each item we would have to run back to the community and return with a decision. Just imagine how cumbersome that would be and the cost. We wouldn’t get anything done. And there isn’t a consensus on the issues,” admitted Peter Penashue in an interview with The Labradorian on October 20, 2008.

Innu Nation finally did hold consultations with the community on October 13 and 14, 2008 when about 100 of the 1500 people who live in Sheshatshiu attended. Peter Penashue stated that the feedback was mainly positive and that the people looked forward to seeing the deal carried out. He added that people could also respond at the annual general meeting.

Mr. Nui meanwhile believes that Innu leaders with business involvement will benefit the most from the agreement. As reported in The Labradorian on 6 October 2008, “under the New Dawn Deal, Innu owned businesses have priority in the issuing of contracts and $400 million is the target set for Innu business participation or the total value of contracts allocated to Innu businesses. There are two types of Innu businesses that would have access to contracts with the Lower Churchill Hydro development project. They are businesses that are owned by Innu Nation itself, meaning the profits are owned by the entire community and handled by the Innu Nation government, and those that are owned or co-owned by private individuals in the two Innu communities”.

Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro will build two dams on the Lower Churchill River to generate about 2,800 megawatts of power which is enough energy for 1.5 million households. Ontario has expressed interest in buying it.

BENEFITS TO INNU

In the New Dawn Agreement and as reported in The Labradorian, Innu Nation “was awarded $100 million in redress for damage caused to traditional land after flooding in the 1960’s; upon ratification of the agreement they will receive $2 million per year until the Upper Churchill Project agreement expires in 2041 after which the Labrador Innu will be entitled to a percentage of revenue from the Project. They will also receive 5 per cent of net royalties from the Lower Churchill Project if and when it is developed. During construction of the project they will receive $50 million over a period of 10 years. Apart from the Churchill deal, the agreement sets out lands that the Innu Nation membership will own as well as settlement areas and shared usage areas with the Nunatsiavut (Inuit) government. As to where the money is being spent and if the Innu Nation is considering programs and education to further help the people of Sheshathiu and Natuashish, Mr. Penashue said those options are still being discussed.”

STOP THE DAMMING OF THE LOWER CHURCHILL RIVER

Innu Nation and Danny Williams’ Newfoundland and Labrador Government signed the “New Dawn Agreement” in October 2008 that will permit the building of two dams on the Lower Churchill River (Mishta Shipu). Elizabeth Penashue, the Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit, and the International Campaign for the Innu and the Earth (ICIE) are very opposed to the destruction of this wilderness waterway. ICIE is appealing to supporters to make large donations to finance the Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit’s meskanau (vision, path) for a land claims agreement with no attached demand for the development of the Lower Churchill River. ICIE intends to intervene in community decision-making regarding the New Dawn Deal which is to be voted on in early 2009.

For more information or to get involved, contact:

The International Campaign for the Innu and the Earth (ICIE)
LWR-238 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 1Z7 Canada
Tel: +1-647-436-6398