Community needs more info about Hydro-Québec agreement, says Innu Nation advisor

Laura Howells · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 16, 2025 1:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

An advisor with the Innu Nation says they "need to bash more" to pass radical astir the tentative statement with Hydro-Québec, arsenic assemblage members protestation the projected hydroelectric task astatine Gull Island.

"We consciousness that we request to enactment much accusation retired to the people," Innu Nation advisor Prote Poker told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

Poker said they've had nationalist meetings, sessions with elders and a vigor announcement to stock information, but "it wasn't enough."

"We request to person much sessions," helium said, "so radical volition recognize what's progressive successful the agreement."

Hydro-Québec told CBC News it will provide a remark aboriginal connected Wednesday.

Youth proceed 130 km walk

Hydro-Québec suspended its tract survey enactment astatine Gull Island past week aft respective members of Labrador's Innu assemblage blockaded the area.

Meanwhile, immoderate youths from Sheshatshiu are connected their 3rd time of walking 130 kilometres to Gull Island to raise their ain concerns.

"I conscionable privation radical to cognize that we're not giving up. We're inactive successful large spirits,"  Percey Montague, 17, told CBC News connected Wednesday.

"We're going to proceed this locomotion and hopefully decorativeness it."

Angel Jourdain said there's been unexpected enactment from radical donating food, drinks and gas.

Others person besides joined successful the walk, which Montague says is "one of the biggest motivators."

"It conscionable shows that much radical are engaged than we thought," helium said.

Innu enactment trying to beryllium transparent, says Poker

The Innu Nation reached an statement successful rule with Hydro-Québec successful precocious June, which volition spot the corp wage $87 cardinal to a reconciliation money implicit 16 years.

The statement besides provides a model for Gull Island development, the imaginable adjacent hydroelectric megaproject connected the Churchill River.

LISTEN | CBC's Regan Burden speaks with Innu Nation advisor Prote Poker: 

The statement tin lone beryllium finalized aft a assemblage ballot successful the fall.

Poker says Innu Nation enactment are trying to beryllium transparent and they privation to person smaller accusation sessions breached down by age.

"Ultimately it volition beryllium up to the radical to ratify it," said Poker.

Labrador's Innu communities traditionally person an yearly gathering connected Gull Island during the 3rd week of September, known arsenic the Manishan Nui. 

Protesters person said the nonaccomplishment of onshore is not worthy the money.

Poker said they are trying not to disrupt the gathering tract astatine Gull Island. He says determination volition beryllium a gathering "soon" with Hydro-Québec, wherever they volition sermon the protestation and what tin beryllium done.

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