The Innu people are under increasing assault by the industrial society. The
Innu Nation is being forced to deal with the vast social, environmental and
economic implications of a proposed mine at Emish (Voisey's Bay) and an
unprecedented level of exploration activiy throughout their territory while
attempting to negotiate a land rights settlement with the governments of
Newfoundland and Canada. Mineral exploration and development is the latest
threat to Innu land and Innu rights, intensifying the impacts of low-level
flight training, road expansion, industrial forestry and hydroelectric
developments which have already had profound cultural and environmental
consequences.
MINING ACTIVITIES
=================
The discovery of a massive nickel, copper and cobalt deposit at Emish
(Voisey's Bay) in November 1994 has resulted in an intense level of mineral
exploration and development activity on Innu and Inuit land in Labrador. On
one hand, the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company is attempting to transform their
discovery--and the previously undisturbed northern landscape--into a
working open-pit nickel mine and mill facility by the year 1998. On the
other, several dozen companies have initiated active exploration programs
over the more than 280,000 mineral claims that now cover roughly 60,000 km2
of Labrador.
In January, 1996, the Voisey Bay Nickel Company registered under the
Newfoundland Environmental Assessment Act to build a new camp facility, 12
kilometers of two-lane access road, a dock, and a 1250 meter long airstrip
at Emish (Voisey's Bay). According to the company, this infrastructure is
intended to support advanced exploration activities by providing improved
access and accommodations at the site. The company is seeking permission to
begin construction in May of 1996. As of 1 March, the government has not
made a decision, but one is expected shortly.
The goal of the Innu Nation is to ensure that there is a single,
comprehensive environmental review of the whole project: all of the parts
of what may eventually be a large nickel mine on Innu and Inuit land. By
registering the project in small parts, the company is failing to respect
the serious concerns of the Innu about the effects of the whole project on
the land, the wildlife and the culture that has sustained them for
thousands of years.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Support the Innu Nation's call for a single, comprehensive
environmental assessment of the whole Voisey's Bay Project.
Mr. Rick Gill
Executive Vice-President
Voisey's Bay Nickel Co.
Suite 940 Cabot Place
100 New Gower St.
St. John's NF A1C 6K3
fax: (709) 758-8899
Mr. Cliff Carson
President
Voisey's Bay Nickel Company
9th Floor, 200 Burrard St.
Vancouver, BC
V7X 1T2
fax: (604) 682-2060
Mr. Michael Sopko
President and CEO
Inco Limited
145 King St. W, Suite 1500
Toronto, ON
MS4 4B7
fax: (416) 361-7782
MILITARY LOW-LEVEL FLIGHT TRAINING
==================================
On February 20th, 1996, Canada, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands signed
a new Multinational Memorandum of Understanding for low-level flight
training over Innu territory in eastern Quebec and Labrador. After a ten
year fight by the Innu against the training, the Canadian government
continues to ignore the rights of the Innu people by entering into
arrangements that alienate their lands, harm the environment, and threaten
their way of life. The agreement will allow 15,000 military low-level
flights per year over 130,000 km2 of Innu territory. The flights, which are
conducted at altitudes of approximately 30 m above the ground, are
concentrated in river valleys and over lakes, which are the same areas used
by Innu people.
Over the past 10 years, many Innu people have gone to jail for civil
disobedience activities on the base runways and bombing ranges in the
country. Following the government's decision to accept the recommendations
of a controversial environmental assessment panel review to more than
triple the flights, the Innu have attempted to negotiate an acceptable
compromise with the Canadian government. The government has refused to
discuss the Innu's concerns, which center on the mandate and effectiveness
of the Institute, a proposed research and monitoring agency, but also
include Innu concerns about the construction of a second bombing range on
Innu territory, avoidance criteria around Innu camps, future training
scenarios, possible use of live weapons, electronic warfare and other
aspects of the military training.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Write to the Canadian government and their European partners, urging them
to respect and incorporate Innu concerns about the proposed Institute.
Organize protests or pickets at the consultates, embassies or Defence
Departments of the countries involved in the flights.
David Collenette
Minister of National Defence - Canada
Major General George Pearkes Bldg.
North Tower 13th Floor
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0K2
fax: (613) 995-8189
Mr. Gmelich Meijling
State Secretary of Defence
Postbus 20701
2500 ES
The Hague, Netherlands
+31-70-318-7888 (fax)
Mr. John Major
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1
UK
Mr. Helmut Kohl
Federal Chancellor
Adenauer-Allee 139-141
5300 Bonn
Federal Republic of Germany
FORESTRY ACTIVITY ON THE LAST FRONTIER
======================================
Innu forests exist at the northern fringe of the boreal forest. Because of
their remoteness and relatively low value, they have been spared the
attention of the multinational forest industries--until recently. At
present, harvesting activity in Innu territory remains at approximately
50,000 m3/year. Most of this is used locally. However, Abitibi-Price and
others are now buying small quantitites of pulpwood for export, and this
may result in substantial increases in small-scale harvesting activity in
the short term.
But this is just the tip of the iceburg. A serious timber deficit on the
Island of Newfoundland (which has three large pulp operations) has resulted
in a renewed interest in Innu forests. There are now at least five
proposals by companies including Abitibi-Price, Kruger, and Souther Paper
to harvest and export roundwood from Nitassinan to the Island pulp mills.
These proposals could result in the explort of some 350,000 m3/year, which
would radically change this largely roadless and fragile forest.
The immediate threat may somewhat contrained by two factors: 1) the absence
of approved forest management plans, which have to be developed and
assessed under the Newfoundland environmental assessment process before
additional harvesting activities can take place; 2) the recent committment
of one major player, Abitibi-Price, not to invest in Nitassinan until the
Innu Nation's land rights are resolved. For their part, the Innu are not
convinced that commercial forestry activities can take place in an
ecological, economical or culturally sustainable way. Innu consent for
forestry activities at any scale can only be given if these these issues
are clearly and definatively resolved.
However, the Newfoundland government has indicated that it plans to
commence road building operations in many areas of Nitassinan--without Innu
consent, and without approved management plans. This disregard by a
government for its own laws does not bode well for a future resolution.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write to the Newfoundland government, urging them to
respect Innu rights and their own legistation by halting their plans to
build roads in Nitassinan until Innu consent and acceptable management
plans have been achieved.
Premier Brian Tobin
Government of Newfoundland
PO Box 8700
Confederation Building
St. John's, NF
A1B 4J6
fax: (709) 729-5875
Write to Abitibi-Price, supporting their decision not to invest in Labrador
until Innu rights are settled. Encourage them to develop a respectful and
responsible relationship with the Innu people by ensuring that their
proposals meet the standards of ecological, economic and cultural
sustainability.
Ronald Y. Oberlander, President
Abitibi-Price Inc.
207 Queens Quay West Suite 680
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 2P5
fax: (416) 203-5094
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
This alert and additional background information about Innu responses to
the Voisey's Bay mineral discovery, low-level flight training, forestry
expansion and other issues can be obtained on the Innu Nation WWW site:
Or you can contact:
Visit the Innu Nation WWW site:
http://www.web.apc.org/~innu
Innu Nation
P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0
phone: (709) 497-8398 es051322@orion.yorku.ca fax: (709) 497-8396
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