By Heidi Atter & Frey Blake-Pijogge, Local Journalism Initiative Reporters, The Independent Hydro-Québec has suspended geological survey work after a group of Innu land defenders blockaded the road into Gull Island, an area of the Churchill River (or Mishta-shipu, in Innu-aimum) that is culturally important to the Innu and the place where Newfoundland and Labrador and Québec hope to massively expand hydroelectric development. In recent days, work trailers were moved onto the site, following the signing of a proposed agreement-in-principle between Hydro-Québec and the Innu Nation, which represents the Innu communities of Sheshatshiu and Natuashish in Labrador. “They want to start the survey on the land,” said Matthew Andrew, one of the land defenders at the site, through a translator. “They’re not telling the community members.” Andrew and other land…
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