Innu FN Target Rio Tinto in Lawsuit – Net Newsledger

THUNDER BAY – MINING -A Judge in Quebec ruled that a Cdn$900 million lawsuit brought forward by two Canadian aboriginal communities against Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC), may move forward through the courts.The First Nations claim the Rio Tinto has violated their rights for nearly sixty years by operating without their permission on their traditional territories.

The Innu communities of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam and Matimekush-Lac John asked the court last March for an injunction against IOC’s unit in Quebec and Labrador to stop all mining. The groups claim the miner has violated their rights for nearly 60 years by operating without their permission.

The Innu First Nations of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam and Matimekush-Lac John, whose traditional territory (Nitassinan) covers a large part of North-eastern Quebec and Labrador, celebrated on September 19, 2014 an important legal victory in their 900 million dollar lawsuit targeting the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC), whose majority shareholder is Rio Tinto (see press release of March 20, 2013 for more information on the suit).

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