[LINK] "Quebec Innu communities defend Caribou hunt"

[rfmcdonald]

The decision of a coalition of Québec Innu communities to hunt caribou in Labrador--a seriously endangered population at that--in order to make some kind of political point, and justifying it by saying that they've a right to govern the ecologies of their homeland regardless of, well, reality, leaves me decidedly unimpressed. What is it with established populations in eastern Canada saying that they've a right to do whatever they want to selected prey species--caribou, codfish, seals, et cetera--because they've been doing it for a long time, anyway?

Chiefs representing Innu communities in northeastern Quebec are defending the actions of hunters who killed animals near a protected caribou herd in Labrador last week.

Quebec hunters say the slaughter was to protest their exclusion from a deal that will compensate Labrador Innu for the proposed Lower Churchill hydroelectric megaproject.

In all, 250 caribou were killed and will be used for food supplies for the communities, the chiefs said in a statement released Monday.

The expedition "was successful and also a great victory," said Georges-Ernest Grégoire, chief of Uashat Mak Mani Utenam. He said the kill had raised the attention of the Newfoundland and Labrador government.

"For thousands of years, we have practised the caribou hunt on a territory we call Nitassinan," said Réal McKenzie, chief of Matimekush-Lac-John. "No border drawn up by Euro-Canadians, upon their arrival four centuries ago, can limit Nitassinan and the inherent rights of its people."

[. . .]

Newfoundland and Labrador's justice minister said Monday he expects charges to be laid against the Quebec Innu hunters.

"We certainly do," Felix Collins told CBC News. "We certainly hope that the evidence will be sufficient to lay charges."

Quebec Innu hunters sparked a furor last week when they pursued caribou near the protected Red Wine herd, which the Newfoundland and Labrador government believes has just 100 animals.

Collins said the government does not know how many animals were killed in last week's hunt, but "we're assuming it's anywhere from 150 to 200."

The zone where the hunt took place is closed to hunting in order to protect the Red Wine herd.

Oh, and this is great.

"It is not the caribou herd that is on the verge of extinction, but rather the Innu Nation that must fight against assimilation and extinction policies. For us, exercising our rights is a matter of survival," said Jean-Charles Piétacho, Chief of Ekuanitshit.

What?