Ottawa has failed Labrador Innu

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Ottawa has failed to live up to its responsibility to the Innu people of Labrador, a recent report the Canadian Human Rights Commission said.

The federal government has never accepted its constitutional obligations for the Innu as Aboriginals in Canada, said the report's author, University of Ottawa Dean of Common Law Donald McRae. As a result, the Innu have been forced to live at near subsistence levels and with few services.

The report found that:

- Ottawa failed to deal with the Innu as Aboriginals in Canada as far back as 1949, when Newfoundland joined the Confederacy. The Innu were never registered under the Indian Act and did not have the opportunity to have reserves created. Furthermore, the Innu are forced to deal with two levels of government separately.

- The Innu never received the same consideration and quality of service from Indian Affairs as other Natives in Canada. They were moved twice from their original mainland location without being consulted.

- The federal government granted Newfoundland the right to veto Innu attempts to promote self-government.

- The province has no mandate in respect to Aboriginal peoples and so treats the Innu like any other citizen of Newfoundland.

The report recommended Ottawa recognize its fiduciary responsibility to the Innu eliminating the current funding arrangements with the province and enter into direct negotiations with the Innu of Davis Inlet and move the village from its current location to a place of the Innu's choosing.

The Innu Nation called on the commission to do the review in June 1992 after repeated requests to Ottawa to recognize the Innu's status as Aboriginals, said Innu Nation president Peter Penashue.

"After so many years of having our concerns and complaints ridiculed and ignored governments, it is satisfying to have an organizations such as the Canadian Human Rights Commission confirm so strongly the complaints we put before them," he said. "We shouldn't have to be registered under the Indian Act or be on a reserve to get government services."

The plight of the Innu in Davis Inlet came to national attention last January after six children were videotaped after being found high on gasoline fumes, screaming that they wanted to die.

The Innu will work to get the report to "the right people:" to prevent it from being shelved, Penashue said. That may include contacting officials at the United Nations.

"We have a lot of work to do yet," he said.

In response to the commission's findings, federal negotiator and Newfoundland MP Ross Reid said there is little point in dwelling on the past and that the government will proceed with talks on health and social issues in the inlet. He also blasted the province for bailing out on the relocation negotiations.

Newfoundland Justice Minister Ed Roberts announced last week that the province would no longer participate in relocations talks with Ottawa and the Innu Nation.

Davis Inlet Chief Katie Rich could not be reached for comment.