Accused of ransacking by the Innu, the Huron-Wendat plead for the restoration to the natural state

The Huron-Wendat Nation made its position known on Tuesday, after being contacted by the media the day before.

Grand Chief Rémy Vincent, accompanied by four other chiefs from Wendake Council, delivered a statement in a video posted on Facebook. A press release was also released.

Remy Vincent claimed that the actions that have been taken were presented at a public meeting on April 13. It was then a question of restore any new unauthorized installation on the Nionwentsïo to its natural state.

The Nionwentsïo is the ancestral territory of the Hurons. Like the ancestral territory of the Innu, the Nitassinan, it covers the territory of the Laurentides wildlife reserve between Quebec and Saguenay.

Over the past few months, representations have been made to discuss issues with Mashteuiatsh, particularly concerning the setting up of camps. Correspondence was exchanged, but the last correspondence that we addressed to the chief of Mashteuiatsh on April 13, remained unanswered.began Rémy Vincent in the press release.

This mentioned that no new installation would be tolerated.

The only “response” was to intensify the granting of camp construction permits by Mashteuiatsh on the Nionwentsïo, in particular on certain sites requested by members of the Huron-Wendat Nation.he continued, still inside the press release.

10 days to restore the grounds

Earlier this week, Claudie Paul, originally from Mashteuiatsh, said she had obtained permission from her band council to build a family cabin on land located in the wildlife reserve. She had noticed at the end of the week that the site had been vandalized.

According to her, stones and trees were put on the ground, a trench was dug, all accompanied by a note from the band council of the Huron-Wendat of Wendake affirming that she does not have the right to occupy the place and that it is their territory.

In a statement published Tuesday on the Mashteuiatsh website, it is mentioned that two lands occupied by members of our First Nation were ransacked with heavy machinery.

The head of the Mashteuiatsh band council, Gilbert Dominique, is still not getting angry and has sent a formal notice to the Wendat grand chief.

It can also be found on the Band Council’s website.

We are appalled that your First Nation has gone so far as to order the perpetration of such acts personally targeting Pekuakamiulnuatsh [Innus du Lac-Saint-Jean], on the pretext that it asserts its territorial rights. No claim can justify a First Nation, which claims to be acting as a responsible government, committing such barbaric actsis it written.

The Innu also deplore the fact that members of the First Nations destroy part of an ecosystem in this way.

Finally, we grant you a period of 10 days following receipt of this formal notice to proceed with the complete restoration of the two lands that were ransacked by Huron-Wendat.is also mentioned.

Gilbert Dominique believes that the use of the territory can be shared between Innu and Wendat.

We are able to recognize that the Huron-Wendat have rights to occupy the territory. On this there is no divergence. The only difference we have is that they of course plead exclusivityhe said earlier in an interview with Radio-Canada.

Minister calls for dialogue

On Tuesday, an interview request was made to the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Ian Lafrenière. It was indicated by his cabinet that this was not possible.

However, the minister is well aware of the issue of overlapping land claims. Each issue of cohabitation preoccupies him. He calls for the continuation of dialogue and rapprochement, in the search for solutionsmentioned by email his press officer, Mathieu Durocher.

With information from Gabrielle Morissette