Innu Nation demands apology before supporting Churchill Falls energy deal

Grand Chief Jodie Ashini of the Innu Nation has stated that the Innu will not support a proposed multi-billion dollar energy deal between Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Québec until the provincial government apologizes for its stance on Innu history.

Ashini argues that the Newfoundland and Labrador government holds a “fringe” theory suggesting the Innu arrived in Labrador approximately 300 years ago following European arrival. She maintains that Innu history spans thousands of years and that the government’s refusal to acknowledge this timeline erases their heritage. The dispute follows the cancellation of a planned cultural exhibit at The Rooms, which the Innu Nation refused to participate in after officials disputed the historical timeline presented.

The proposed energy framework involves new developments along the Churchill River, which flows through Nitassinan, the traditional territory of the Innu. Premier Tony Wakeham has indicated a need to meet with Innu leadership to discuss these concerns, though he declined to comment on the specific historical timeline during the opening of the provincial legislature.