Innu Seek Injunction Against Voisey's Bay Construction Work this Summer
Sheshatshiu, Labrador
The Innu Nation is going to court to protect the integrity of the
environmental assessment process established by Canada, Newfoundland,
the Innu and the Inuit to review Inco's proposed Voisey's Bay mining
development.
Yesterday, the Innu Nation filed for a declaration from the Supreme
Court of Newfoundland that would prevent the Minister of the
Environment from issuing any permits or approvals in relation to the
advanced infrastructure proposed by the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company.
The company maintains that the advanced infrastructure is a separate
project, and is seeking approvals under the provincial environmental
assessment process. The Newfoundland government's decision on the
matter is anticipated on or before July 5, 1997.
The Innu Nation's decision to go to court follows an earlier action by
the Labrador Inuit Association, which is also seeking a court decision
to prevent any development activities at the site prior to the
completion of the current environmental review.
The Innu Nation is basing its arguments before the court on the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Canada, Newfoundland and the
Innu Nation, which established a single, comprehensive environmental
assessment process for the Voisey's Bay Project. The Innu Nation
believes that the infrastructure that the company is seeking to build
this summer is included within the MOU, and that the MOU requires the
Newfoundland government to wait for the environmental assessment
panel's report and recommendations before issuing any approvals for
development at the site.
Both aboriginal governments and the panel reviewing the mine fear that
the ongoing environmental review process will be compromised if
Voisey's Bay Nickel Company is permitted to construct a road and
airstrip at their exploration site this summer.
The Environmental Assessment Panel established under the MOU has also
questioned the Newfoundland government's actions. In a letter to the
four parties to the MOU dated June 16, Panel chairperson Lesley
Griffiths stated that, "...If approval were given to the Exploration
Support Works, the Panel believes that the credibility of the review
process would be called into question and that some communities or
individuals would discontinue their participation. This would obviously
damage the Panel's ability to carry out an effective and timely review
of the Undertaking."
Innu Nation President Katie Rich stated that, "the company is just
trying to push this project ahead with out regard for the environment.
We have tried to talk to them about the importance of the environmental
assessment process and they are not listening. We hope that the courts
will understand."
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Larry Innes Visit the Innu Nation WWW site:
Environmental Advisor http://www.web.net/~innu
Innu Nation
P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0
phone: (709) 497-8398 email: innuenv@web.net fax: (709) 497-8396