Jan 27, 1997
From Native Forest Network-ENA
Email: nfnena@igc.apc.org

Nickel Deposit Found on North Shore:
Moisie River Watershed Faces New Threat

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In August, 1996 another serendipitous nickel discovery was made in Nitassinan--this time in the region near the Nipissis River, a tributary of the Moisie. A clearing in the middle of a vast stretch of forest extending north from Sept Isle, caught the eye of a government geologist, and was found to be strewn with glittering and rust colored rocks, characteristics of mineral deposits. The Quebec government immediated claimed the area and soon after, hundreds of claim stakers arrived in the region to drive their posts into the ground.

For reasons that remain unexplained, the Quebec government quickly put a freeze on any further claims within an 800 km zone surrounding Lake Nipisso, the site of the deposit discovered by the government geologist. Neverthleless companies contued to stake claims up to the limit of the 800 km zone. The freeze was lifted after six weeks, when the companies immediately converged upon the region.

The Moisie River was the battleground of the debate over HQ's SM3 dam project. The Moisie is considered to be the most important Atlantic salmon spawning river in North America. HQ was required to shelve its plans to divert the Moisie's tribuatries, the Peken and Carheil rivers, because of its potential impacts on the salmon.

Last autumn an Innu Elder, Philomene MacKenzie, and two of her sons, staked their people's claim to the land by setting up their camp in the midst of the Klondike activity. Philomene's late husband was awarded the staked area by the government in the 1950's as his family's hunting and trapping territory.

Philomene was also present at the 1994 Peace Camp established to protest Hydro Quebec's SM3 dam project. She was one of several Innu Elders arrested and jailed by HQ police.

The mayor of Sept Isle, Jean-Marc Dion, has called the Innu "opportunists." "If there was no copper and nickel they wouldn't claim it. Wherever there's a development it attracts them." The mayor's statements were backed up by the office of the Minister of Mining. "I don't see how a mine would inhibit traditional activities of the natives," said Christian Larviere, an advisor to the Minister. "A mine doesn't take up very much space." Thank You HQ

It will take several months for the geological tests to be completed which will determine the grade of the ore. But even if the grade is significantly lower that what exists at Voisey's Bay, it may still prove to be more profitable because the infrastructure is already there. Powerlines dissect the vast boreal forest all the way from Labrador; a railroad runs from the iron ore mines at Wabush to Sept Isle; and, HQ has just completed a spanking new all-weather highway to the SM3 dam site.

From Nitassinan News

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The Friends of Nitassinan is an international support group for the Innu people of the Quebec-Labrador peninsula (Nitassinan), in their struggles to defend their homeland from industrial intrusions.

The Nitassinan news is produced by Alexis Lathem and John Clark.

The Friends of Nitassinan would like to thank the Haymarket People's Fund, the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, the Human-i-tees Foundation, and the Green Mountain Fund.

For more information contact:

Innu Nation
POB 119
Sheshatsiu, Labrador
A0P 1M0 Canada
709-497-8398 fax: 8396
email: innu@web.apc.org

Katie Rich, Band Council Chief
General Delivery
Davis Inlet, Labrador
709-478-8902 fax: 8936

Friends of Nitassinan
POB 804
Burlington VT 05402
ph/fax: 802-425-3820

Information transferred via--

Native Forest Network (NFN)
Eastern North American Resource Center
POB 57
Burlington, VT 05402 USA
Telephone: (802)863-0571
Fax: (802)863-2532
Email:nfnena@igc.apc.org