N.L. needs to ‘acknowledge the harms’ it caused with exhibit dispute, says Innu cultural guardian

Ahead of a meeting with Premier Tony Wakeham and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Lela Evans stemming from the fallout from a cancelled exhibit, Innu Cultural Guardian Jodie Ashini says she wants meaningful action going forward.

The friction comes from a historical and cultural exhibit titled the Innu Pakassiun exhibit that was cancelled days before it was scheduled to open at the Labrador Interpretation Centre in North West River.

The cancellation stems from a dispute that’s emerged over the timeline of Innu history in the region, with the N.L. government capping the history at 300 years as opposed to the group’s claim that it was far longer than that. 

Ashini, who is scheduled to meet with the province Monday evening alongside other Innu representatives, says she hopes the province won’t push back on their Section 35 rights, a provision in the Canadian Constitution that affirms the treaty rights of Indigenous people.

“That they are willing to stop promoting and using government funding to push this fringe theory of 300 years,” she told CBC Radio’s Labrador Morning Monday.

Ashini wants to see an acknowledgment from government of the harms they’ve caused in this, which she said amount to “cultural genocide.”

“They need to acknowledge the harms that they are creating right now.”

Last week CBC News put in several interview requests with the PC government but only received a statement from Evans Friday afternoon, which said she “sincerely regret[s] the concern and hurt that has arisen for the Innu Nation with respect to their exhibit.”

It added Evans hopes they can “continue the conversation in a spirit of openness, respect and partnership.”

However, Ashini is not impressed with the response.

“It felt like something that needed to be released to try and fix what has happened and just to cover themselves,” she said.

“I don’t know if it was really genuine towards us. There is no acknowledgement of their mistakes in continuing to push this fringe theory of 300 years.”

Neither Evans, nor any other government official, has commented on the timeline issue, which Innu leaders have said is the reason for the cancellation. Last week, Innu Nation Grand Chief Simon Pokue said the government’s position amounts to the “erasure of Innu history.”

On Saturday, the Innu Development Limited Partnership (IDLP), a company tasked with creating economic activity for people living in Labrador’s Innu communities, announced it is withdrawing its participation from Expo Labrador, scheduled to run June 23-25 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

CEO Gregory Rich said the decision wasn’t made lightly but they decided to “boycott” the expo.

“We’re just standing with the Innu Nation,” he said, adding the history and ancestry of the Innu people is important to all Innu organizations.

Rich is hopeful Monday’s meeting will lead to a resolution. However, he couldn’t say if IDLP could return to the expo this year, as it depends on the meeting with the government.

“We’ll decide at a later date whether we participate or not,” said Rich.

Innu Nation accuses N.L. government of capping group’s history at 300 years — an ‘erasure,’ say Innu leaders

N.L. Indigenous Relations Minister acknowledges ‘distrust,’ but does not address Innu history timeline

Ashini said there could be consequences if the province doesn’t make meaningful actions, pointing to the new interest in exploring and developing regions of Labrador.

“They have awakened a lot of angry Innu people and I think there’s going to be a lot of consequences,” she said.

Julianne Griffin, CEO of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, said it’s “a very unfortunate situation that has unfolded.”

“We respect the process and realize this may take some time to be resolved and we welcome a resolution,” she said, adding Innu businesses and partners are active in the Labrador business community.

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.