(St. John) is suing the Innu of Labrador Ottawa and the government of Newfoundland and Labrador over a recent $5.2 billion deal for the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.
The state of Innu confirmed in a press release on Wednesday that the federal and provincial governments have taken “direct, deliberate and decisive action” to eliminate the financial benefits promised to the people of Innu, while the Muskrat Falls project is under construction on their own. their land.
They say they were left out of negotiations on the agreement in principle that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last month. The funds are intended to offset the costs of the project, which has practically doubled since it was imposed on him in 2012.
The statement said the nation had asked Mr Trudeau and Newfoundland Prime Minister Andrew Faury to give them a seat at the negotiating table, submit financial models for the project and commit to an ‘OK’ review.
The great chief Étienne Rich asserts that none of the leaders gave a satisfactory answer, leaving the Inu nation with no choice but to go to court.
Innu explained that they submitted documents to the regional high court on Tuesday, and MM. Trudeau and Faurie were briefed on the lawsuit on Monday.