A long-standing policy stands down

In one of just a handful of articles reported outside Quebec on the long-simmering Labrador Iron Mines dispute near Schefferville, Barb Sweet reported for the Telegram, on July 6th:

In an e-mail statement, Labrador Affairs Minister Patty Pottle said the Quebec Innu have to have their claim considered in a federal land claim process that provides for agreements where two or more aboriginal groups have overlapping claims.

She said the Quebec Innu have to deal with the federal government and the Labrador Innu.

"The province would not ordinarily be a part of the overlap negotiations. This is consistent with federal comprehensive claims policy and the approach taken in the negotiation of overlap agreements between Labrador Inuit and Nunavik Inuit and between Labrador Inuit and Labrador Innu," Pottle said.

"It should also be noted that the federal government has recently appointed a person to facilitate overlap talks between the Quebec and Labrador Innu."

And earlier this year, Rob Antle reported, in the March 5th edition of the paper:

The Quebec Innu say their constitutional aboriginal rights in Labrador are being denied.

[Réal] McKenzie said they are "looking seriously" at court action to potentially block the Lower Churchill.

But Dunderdale said the government has a long-standing policy of not entering into negotiations with aboriginal groups outside the province while land claims remain pending within Newfoundland and Labrador.

She said the New Dawn deal does not extinguish any rights of Quebec Innu, but any such claims would be handled by Ottawa.

Today comes news that mine proponent New Millennium Capital have resolved their dispute with the Innu of Matimekush, with some interesting outside assistance:

This agreement was reached following the recent helpful involvement of the governments of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec and their respective commitments to settle certain issues concerning the land claims of the Innu.

The Danny Provincial Williams Government is unusually modest about its role in such a beneficial outcome.