Ottawa will not recognize Nunatukavut as holding Indigenous rights

The federal government has halted the process to recognize a controversial Labrador group which self-describes as “southern Inuit” as holding Indigenous rights.

The Nunatukavut Community Council (NCC) represents roughly 6,000 people in central and southern Labrador, and has been fighting for years for land, hunting and fishing rights despite not being recognized by other Indigenous organizations and communities.

The NCC style themselves as “southern Inuit,” and have referred to their organization as Métis in the past. Under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the group had entered into the process to gain treaty rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act.

A spokesperson for the department of Crown and Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) confirmed Wednesday the government has halted that process. The department said their rejection of NCC’s claim to section 35 rights included “updated submissions, internal historical and legal analysis, expert reviews” and discussions with the group.

In a statement, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) called the NCC a “fraudulent collective” that “undermines” and diverts funding away from Inuit people and communities.