Latest news with #Nunatsiavut
CBC
25-05-2025
- CBC
'Grief, pain, shock' in Hopedale following unrelated tragedies, says angajukKâk
The community of Hopedale on Labrador's north coast is reeling following two tragic but unrelated incidents in the past week left three people dead. On Saturday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested and charged 27-year-old Michael Tuglavina with first-degree murder and attempted murder. The arrest followed a complaint of an assault the previous night where officers found one man dead and another seriously injured. That same night, two men from Hopedale were last seen travelling on a snowmobile headed toward a cabin outside the community. The next night, police received a report the men were overdue from the fishing trip. Hopedale Ground Search and Rescue personnel mobilized and eventually found both men drowned in the water just outside the community. "There's a lot of grief, pain, shock and sadness in our community right now," Hopedale AngajukKâk Marjorie Flowers told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning. "Any death in the community, it's always sad because we're small. Still a small community. And when one hurts, we all hurt. But this is just, like, a double whammy." While the community is reeling from the tragedies, she says they've also brought people together as they console one another. Flowers says the town recently hosted drop-in support sessions for different age groups, residents have begun raising money for families, and the Nunatsiavut government has made more resources available to people who are struggling. "I'm just so proud of my people here, and how everyone's just trying to help," Flowers said. "As long as they feel supported, and to know that they're not alone, I think that's what will work for people." Police are still investigating both incidents, along with the office of the chief medical examiner.
Globe and Mail
16-05-2025
- Science
- Globe and Mail
How Labrador Inuit are adapting to a warming world
The experiences of Inuit people and scientific data show the impacts of climate change and how it disproportionately affects Canada's Far North. Arctic sea ice is central to Inuit life – Labrador Inuit communities have more than four dozen Inuttitut terms for sea ice. And the weakening of the ice as a result of climate change poses a tangible threat: stifling access for remote fly-in communities, cutting off essential goods and endangering Inuit peoples' traditions, including hunting and fishing. Jenn Thornhill Verma, investigative journalist and Pulitzer Ocean Reporting Fellow, takes The Decibel to the northeastern Labrador Inuit community of Nunatsiavut. We hear from Inuk elders on how their communities are innovating and adapting new technology to fight climate change. This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center's Ocean Reporting Network Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@
Hamilton Spectator
10-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Bell Canada scraps Labrador high-speed internet project, plans to invest in U.S.
Bell Canada's cancellation of a $32-million dollar contract to expand high-speed internet and cell service on Labrador's north coast comes as the telecommunications giant has confirmed plans to expand southward in the United States. After receiving millions in government subsidies for the Labrador North Wireless Broadband Project, Canada's largest communications company says it's no longer feasible to complete the expansion due to rising costs and competition. On May 6, Nunatsiavut Government announced Bell had cancelled the contract for the project, which came to the Inuit government 'as a shock and deep disappointment.' Nunatsiavut said Bell estimated the cost of completing the project had risen to $110 million, and that Bell's subscription numbers in the region have declined by 69 per cent. In 2022, the project was estimated to cost $22 million, with an additional $10 million added in 2023 . 'Bell Canada has told us that they no longer see a viable path forward for this project, which is devastating,' Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe said in a news release. 'Access to reliable high-speed telecommunications is not a luxury; it is a necessity for our communities.' The same day Nunatsiavut shared news of Bell's withdrawal from the project, the company released it annual report for shareholders, confirming plans to acquire American fibre internet provider Ziply Fiber and help bring high-speed internet to underserved communities south of the border. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025. 'Upon the closing of this acquisition, Bell will solidify its standing as the third-largest fibre Internet provider in North America,' the report says. Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans says Bell's cancellation for Labrador's north coast shows the company has no interest in investing in communities that desperately need high-speed internet and cell service. In return, she says, there should be no loyalty to the company in the future. Nain is the only community on Labrador's north coast with cell service, which it acquired in 2019 . Rigolet, Postville, Makkovik, Hopedale and Natuashish currently do not have service. The project was set to include the Innu community of Natuashish. Nunatsiavut's May 6 news release quotes Mushuau Innu First Nation Chief John Nui saying his community is ready and willing to work with any new partner to ensure Innu needs are met. The Nunatsiavut Government says it's working to identify alternative solutions and potential new partnerships to continue working on broadband and telecommunications services in the region. The project was first announced in 2022 , when the provincial and federal governments announced more than $22.3 million in funding to bring high-speed Internet to more than 1,000 homes in Labrador's remote communities. In an emailed statement to The Independent, Bell Canada says there was a 340 per cent increase in costs over the past four years, and 'significant logistical hurdles presented by the challenging geography.' The company says it can't reveal the amount of money spent on the project so far, 'due to confidentiality terms within agreement.' On Tuesday, the province's Department of Industry, Energy and Technology said it had not been informed by Bell Canada of its decision to formally withdraw from the project. The department also said it is in discussions with the federal government about possible alternatives. Despite a 2.4 per cent drop in annual revenues in 2024, Bell Canada parent company BCE awarded its executives more than $5 million after announcing it was laying off 4,800 employees. 'The company laid off thousands, its stock went down by 30% and yet, the richest and most powerful continue to profit off the back of our members,' Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement April 3. Evans, who is from Makkovik, says Bell Canada has a pattern of refusing to help the north coast of Labrador. She says Bell brought high speed internet to the south coast communities quickly, and should have begun work on the north coast expansion sooner before cost increases became such a big factor. For comparison, the federal and provincial governments announced funding to bring high-speed internet to 694 households in Charlottetown, Lodge Bay, Mary's Harbour, Port Hope-Simpson and Red Bay—all in southern Labrador—on July 27, 2022 . Fifteen months later, provincial Minister of Labrador Affairs Lisa Dempster announced Bell had begun installation of fiber optic to homes throughout the Straits, and that other south coast communities would have the service by the end of 2023. This time around, Evans says the company has wasted years and funds. 'I could not believe it; even that money that was spent — that's sort of wasted now.' After being elected in 2019, Evans says she and then Labrador MP Yvonne Jones advocated to Bell Canada for expansion of its services to Labrador's north coast. Evans says Bell claimed at the time that upgrades and maintenance on the north coast were too costly, and that the company refused funding assistance from the federal government. Then, in 2022, Nunatsiavut chose Bell Canada as the proponent for the Labrador North Wireless Broadband Project. Evans says she supported Nunatsiavut's decision at the time since Bell was the only known company that could provide the necessary infrastructure upgrades for reliable high speed internet and cell service. Starlink, by contrast, offers high-speed internet to customers on Labrador's north coast but doesn't provide cell and landline services, Evans says. Plus, the company doesn't have a phone number customers can call for immediate technical support. 'The failure is on Bell's part,' she says. 'To drag it out, to come back after all these years to say, 'Oh, we're pulling out' — that really, really hurts.' Bell's current internet speeds in Labrador often don't meet the minimum requirements for online learning, preventing students from being able to attend online classes, Evans says. 'Bell internet sucks,' she says. 'And how did we get there? We got there by Bell not doing the maintenance, not doing the repair, by not taking the federal dollars and doing the work that they could have done.' Evans says the Nunatsiavut Government has worked hard to get to this point and hopes people won't blame it for Bell's failure.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Bell pulls out of deal to bring high-speed Internet to northern Labrador
End of project means continued connectivity issues, Mushau Innu Nation chief says Bell Canada has pulled out of an agreement that would have brought high-speed Internet and cell service to the north coast of Labrador, citing ballooning costs and challenging geography. "We were pretty shocked, cause we were waiting for this to happen for a long time," John Nui, Mushuau Innu First Nation Chief, told CBC Radio's On the Go. "They said it wouldn't be viable to have it in our regions." The agreement, known as the Labrador North Wireless Broadband Project, was first announced in March 2022. It brought a $22-million investment from the federal government at the time for Bell to bring high-speed Internet to more than 1,000 households in Nain, Natuashish, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet. A month before the announcement, the federal and provincial governments had announced $116-million of funding was available through the Universal Broadband Fund, with the province making $20-million available. Costs had grown by August 2023, which prompted the federal government to add an additional $10-million to its investment. In a news release on Tuesday, the Nunatsiavut Government says it had learned the cost to complete the project had ballooned to $110 million. "This decision is a significant setback for Labrador Inuit communities, as well as the Mushuau Innu First Nation," David Dicker Jr., minister of finance, human resources and information technology with the Nunatsiavut Government, told CBC Tuesday. "High-speed telecommunications are not a luxury, but rather, a necessity." CBC News asked Bell Canada for an interview. In an emailed statement, senior communications manager Geoff Higdon says a cost increase of 340 per cent over four years made the project unviable. "Due to unsustainable cost increases … and significant logistical hurdles presented by the challenging geography, Bell has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the planned fixed wireless network project," Higdon wrote. "Bell will ensure the conclusion of all ongoing project work and facilitate the transition in accordance with the agreement's terms." Nui says there doesn't seem to be a place where negotiations could resume, calling the deal "dead in the water." It hurts a region where connectivity is sorely needed, he says. "The cell service would have been very good, you know, because you can reach others when they're out of their homes. Right now, you can only reach us where there is wi-fi, and there [are] a lot of places that we don't, you know, have Internet service," Nui said. Nui added he hopes the parties involved can find other options to help bring a reliable Internet and cellular connection to northern Labrador in the future.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labrador Indigenous leaders react to Premier Andrew Furey's resignation
Premier Andrew Furey and Innu Nation Grand Chief Simon Pokue sign a memorandum of understanding in December, 2024. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press) Some say he strengthened ties with Indigenous groups, while others feel the provincial government overlooked their communities. His effort toward reconciliation was met with both gratitude and frustration. But Premier Andrew Furey's resignation took them all by surprise. While Furey finds his way back to the surgery room, Labrador Indigenous leaders are reflecting on his time in office — his accomplishments, his shortcomings, and what they hope to see from the next leader. 'Set back any progress' Nunatsiavut government President Johannes Lampe reflected on his relationship with Furey, calling it "for the most part very positive." "He was approachable, easy to communicate with and willing to listen," Lampe said. "We met over the years when he was premier. And I do believe that he was committed to building a strong relationship with the Nunatsiavut government and to reconciliation." But Lampe was critical of Furey's stance on the NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC), which represents 6,000 self-identifying Inuit in south and central Labrador. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami — the national organization representing Inuit across Canada, including Inuit in northern Labrador — does not recognize NCC as an Indigenous group, and neither does Nunatsiavut or the Innu Nation, who say NCC is a settler organization engaging in Inuit identity theft. "Premier Furey was well aware of our concerns, yet he continued to support having a member of the NCC serve as the minister responsible for Indigenous affairs," Lampe said, referring to Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair MHA Lisa Dempster. "And he also continued to engage with the NCC as if it were an Indigenous collective, which it isn't." Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe says Furey was committed to building a strong relationship with Nunatsiavut, but takes issue with Furey's stance on NunatuKavut. (Hamlin Lampe) Lampe says Furey's approach to the NCC "set back any progress that had been made in recent years toward reconciliation." Despite these disagreements, Lampe describes Furey as "genuine" and someone who "truly wanted to make a difference." He pointed to Furey's visits to Nunatsiavut communities, particularly his presence during the apology to residential school survivors, as moments of sincerity. "I truly appreciate having him come and see the situations of Labrador Inuit in our Nunatsiavut communities," Lampe said. "But having done that, you know, I would have liked to see some action taken after the apologies were made to Labrador Inuit in Nunatsiavut communities." 'An exceptional human being and an exceptional premier' That apology tour began in southern Labrador, in an area claimed by NunatuKavut. The group's president, Todd Russell, said he was shocked by Furey's decision to step down. Russell described Furey's relationship with NCC as "respectful, open, inclusive" and said he made efforts to understand their history. "He treated us with respect and equity around the table. He really fought to understand where we were coming from, who we are, our history, and that was a quality about Premier Furey that I so appreciated," Russell said. NunatuKavut Community Council President Todd Russell thanked Furey for making a sincere apology in 2024. (Jon Gaudi/CBC) Furey made an official apology to residential school survivors in Cartwright, a moment that Russell said was "indicative of the type of person he is and the leadership." "That was somewhat controversial for some others, but he stuck to his promises and his commitments and he saw it through with integrity," he said. 'We feel like we were forgotten' In Hopedale, AngajukKâk Marjorie Flowers was also surprised by the resignation, but was less positive about Furey's tenure, saying people in her community often felt neglected. "I don't mean to sound negative, but sometimes we here on the north coast feel like we were forgotten," Flowers said. "We will remember that he did come and make the apology for the residential schools. And that's actually the only time that we've ever seen the premier here in our community." Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe, left, and NunatuKavut President Todd Russell at a Muskrat Falls demonstration on the steps of the Confederation Building in St. John's on Oct. 25, 2016. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press) Despite her criticisms, Flowers said Furey came across as "a very pleasant man" and his visit for the residential school apology was meaningful to some people there. However, she said a visit alone was not enough to address the deeper concerns of people in her community. Flowers criticized Furey's government for consulting communities only after the government had made decisions. "That to me is not a good relation," she said. 'One of the best premiers we've had in Newfoundland and Labrador' Former Labrador MP and Innu Nation land claims advisor Peter Penashue, who has worked closely with Innu leadership, calls Furey "one of the best premiers we've had in Newfoundland and Labrador." Penashue praised Furey for his willingness to engage with Indigenous leaders and listen to concerns. "On a human level, he's a very fine gentleman," he said. "You can sense he cares about the people, he cares about what's happening in Newfoundland and Labrador, and he cares about what happens in the future of this province." Peter Penashue says Furey cares about people and the future of Newfoundland and Labrador. (Ariana Kelland/CBC) One moment that stands out, Penashue says, was a meeting in Natuashish where Furey committed to resolving long-standing concerns related to Muskrat Falls rate mitigation. Penashue said the provincial government had previously altered the agreement, reducing revenue for the Innu. The Innu Nation sued over the deal, and eventually reached a tentative deal with the province outside of court. "[Furey] just said, 'We're going to resolve this issue' — and he did. That changed things for us. He's a premier that looks for reconciliation, looks for resolution," Penashue said. "And that's a fine quality to have in a premier." Penashue also highlighted Furey's role in pushing forward Indigenous participation in resource development, including discussions on Churchill River projects and economic agreements. He said Furey understood the importance of land rights and ensured Innu representation at key decision-making tables — something that hasn't always been the case with past premiers. Still, Penashue acknowledged concerns about the next government. "We may have a premier that'll absolutely say, 'Look, I don't want to deal with the Innu people. I don't want to deal with these issues,'" he said. "When we get premiers that are prepared, that are engaged in discussions about our life, our future, our lands and the sharing of wealth, that's very welcoming for us." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
