An announcement by Environment Minister Perry Trimper on Oct. 19 that the government will direct Nalcor to increase clearing at the Muskrat Falls reservoir didn’t sit well with protestors at the Muskrat Falls site.
The announcement was that they will be clearing ‘what they can’ and the flooding of 25 per cent of the basin will be going ahead as planned, which could begin any day.
“It’s just another diversion,” said Eldred Davis, a protestor at the site. “They put out stuff like this when they know they’re cornered and they had to put out something in response.”
Davis said that it would have minimal effect on the amount of methylmercury effluent, which is one of the main concerns of the protestors.
“It’s just a tactic to take a little bit of heat off, it really means nothing,” he said.
Craig Chaulk from Mud Lake, another protestor at the gate, agreed with Davis and said the announcement was an insult.
“It an insult to our intelligence. He said they’re going to remove as much as they can. They’re going to start flooding in a couple of days, how much does he think they are going to get out of there? What we demanded from the start, and we are sticking to it, is the clearing of all the vegetation, all the soil. Anything less is not acceptable.”
The protest, which has been ongoing since Oct. 14, has seen nine arrested so far for defying an injunction by Nalcor. The numbers of protestors swelled to over 100 on Oct. 19 and the day shift on Oct. 20 was cancelled due to a blockade the protestors have set up, not allowing workers onto the site.
Todd Russell, president of NunatuKavut, said in a release that the statement by Trimper doesn’t change his groups stance.
“The information recently released by the provincial government provides us with very little detail on whether there will be a reduction in methylmercury contamination,” Russell said in the release. “Additional information is required before we can comment further. On the matter of our Indigenous rights, we have seen no movement on the establishment of a land rights process for the southern Inuit. Our on-the-ground action continues.”
The protest to have the reservoir cleared of all vegetation and topsoil has drawn support from many quarters, with the Mayor of Wabush Colin Vardy driving a group out from Lab West to join in the protests.
“The government isn’t listening to the people there, they aren’t listening to the Town there,” he told TC in an interview. “That’s concerning and we need to stand up and show people that while we may be far away this issue is bigger and impacts all of us Labradorians.”
A Facebook post in the group Concerning Happy Valley-Goose Bay echoed Vardy’s comments about this issue affecting all Labradorians.
“Just wanted to say that you don't need to be Aboriginal to stand on the protest line, “said George Cabot in his post. “I am a Labradorian born and raised and hunted and fish just like many Labrador men and this whole flooding issue affects me the same as anyone else who lives here! So I am calling on all Labradorians both Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal to come out and support on the protest line thank you!”
An announcement by Environment Minister Perry Trimper on Oct. 19 that the government will direct Nalcor to increase clearing at the Muskrat Falls reservoir didn’t sit well with protestors at the Muskrat Falls site.
The announcement was that they will be clearing ‘what they can’ and the flooding of 25 per cent of the basin will be going ahead as planned, which could begin any day.
“It’s just another diversion,” said Eldred Davis, a protestor at the site. “They put out stuff like this when they know they’re cornered and they had to put out something in response.”
Davis said that it would have minimal effect on the amount of methylmercury effluent, which is one of the main concerns of the protestors.
“It’s just a tactic to take a little bit of heat off, it really means nothing,” he said.
Craig Chaulk from Mud Lake, another protestor at the gate, agreed with Davis and said the announcement was an insult.
“It an insult to our intelligence. He said they’re going to remove as much as they can. They’re going to start flooding in a couple of days, how much does he think they are going to get out of there? What we demanded from the start, and we are sticking to it, is the clearing of all the vegetation, all the soil. Anything less is not acceptable.”
The protest, which has been ongoing since Oct. 14, has seen nine arrested so far for defying an injunction by Nalcor. The numbers of protestors swelled to over 100 on Oct. 19 and the day shift on Oct. 20 was cancelled due to a blockade the protestors have set up, not allowing workers onto the site.
Todd Russell, president of NunatuKavut, said in a release that the statement by Trimper doesn’t change his groups stance.
“The information recently released by the provincial government provides us with very little detail on whether there will be a reduction in methylmercury contamination,” Russell said in the release. “Additional information is required before we can comment further. On the matter of our Indigenous rights, we have seen no movement on the establishment of a land rights process for the southern Inuit. Our on-the-ground action continues.”
The protest to have the reservoir cleared of all vegetation and topsoil has drawn support from many quarters, with the Mayor of Wabush Colin Vardy driving a group out from Lab West to join in the protests.
“The government isn’t listening to the people there, they aren’t listening to the Town there,” he told TC in an interview. “That’s concerning and we need to stand up and show people that while we may be far away this issue is bigger and impacts all of us Labradorians.”
A Facebook post in the group Concerning Happy Valley-Goose Bay echoed Vardy’s comments about this issue affecting all Labradorians.
“Just wanted to say that you don't need to be Aboriginal to stand on the protest line, “said George Cabot in his post. “I am a Labradorian born and raised and hunted and fish just like many Labrador men and this whole flooding issue affects me the same as anyone else who lives here! So I am calling on all Labradorians both Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal to come out and support on the protest line thank you!”
