May 30, 2013 – The Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-utenam band council (ITUM) says it was disappointed by the Superior Court of Quebec’s May 27 judgment that rejected its motion for a safeguard order seeking to “halt the invasion of their traditional territory (their Nitassinan)”.

“Far from being a crushing blow, this judgment simply reinforces our determination to do everything in our power to finally obtain the justice we’ve sought in regard to this major project,” exclaimed Chief Mike McKenzie.

The motion sought to provisionally stop the deforestation Hydro-Quebec is undertaking, says ITUM, in preparation of the northern segment of the transmission lines for the La Romaine hydroelectric project.

“In any event, no court judgment, no decision by a government and no natural resource project will alter the reality that the Innus of Uashat mak Mani-utenam are not going anywhere. They have lived on, occupied, made use of and possessed their Nitassinan long before the arrival of Europeans,” says ITUM.