Innu inquiry resumes community meetings in Sheshatshiu

The inquiry into treatment of Innu children in care resumedin Sheshatshiu First Nation on Monday, with testimony of a nighttime visit by government representatives who removed a girl and her brothers from their grandparents' home.

A week of community meetings are planned to allow commissioners to hear directly from Innu affected by the child protection system. The inquiry's three commissioners are investigating systemic issues with the child protection system and will make recommendations to improve the system.

The Inquiry intothe Treatment, Experiences and Outcomes of Innu in the Child Protection Systembegan in February in Sheshatshiu with opening statements and testimony about the history of the Innu. Community meetings in Sheshatshiu were cut short due to sudden deaths in the community, but community meetings were held in Natuashish in April.

Commissioners JamesIgloliorte and Anastasia Qupeeareleading the meetings. In a Facebook post, the inquiry said Commissioner Mike Devinewas not able to travel due to unexpected family circumstances.

Removed from family in the night without explanation

Mary Ann Montague was the first to address the inquiry in Sheshatshiu on Monday.When shewas seven or eight, Montague said, she was sleeping with her grandmother when representatives from social services arrived after midnight andtook her and her three siblings from her family.

"I do not know why they were taking me and there was nobody there to support me," she said. "My grandmother did not speak English."

Montague's mother died in 1973, and her father began to drink heavily, she said. Her grandparents also did drink, but they were caring, she said.

"The love they had for us, whether it be in the home or in the tent," said Montague,"when we were in care that's when we lost the love that we once had with our grandparents."

She and her older brother were taken to a dormitory in North West River a cable car ride across the river from Sheshatshiu while her twin brothers were taken to Davis Inlet, she said.

Montague stayed in the dormitory for two to three years. She wasn't able to see her twin brothers in Davis Inlet, she said, or her older brother who was in the same town. Montague said she and the other Innu children weren't allowed to speak their main language Innu-aimun.

"We were not fed properly. Nobody ever tried to see how we were doing. We were just there in that dorm," Montague said."I still do not know why we were in care."

Her experience inspired her to become a foster parent as an adult, Montague said. She fostered five children but two died by suicide after struggling with alcohol, she said. Montague said she gave all her foster children love. Igloliorte and Qupee thanked her for speaking and remarked about the need for children to feel loved.

"You have told us of the value of being loved. You have told us of the value of being a family," Igloliorte said. "And you've even told us about recommendations to changes in the Innu protection system. You have taught us a lot."

Healing services on site to support people testifying

Testimony is scheduled to continue all week at the Sheshatshiu Youth Centre.People can testify in English or Innu-aimun as translation will be available. Innu Healing Services will be on site to offer support to any people sharing or listening.

With thespotlight on the Innuthrough the inquiry, Qupeesaid, she hopes people throughout Canada learn and understand that Innu were nomadic about 80 years ago.

"They lived off the land. They hunted their food on the land. And so I think that to create awareness about that and then to be put in the position of being put in the community and having other people run your life it's been quite traumatic with the real change that has happened," Qupee said.

Qupee said shehopes to see more Innu health-care professionals and more people speaking Innu-aimun and practising their cultural traditions.

Innu are encouraged to sign up to speak by contacting the community liaison, Nathan Penashue. Each day will begin at 10 a.m. AT with a prayer and moment of reflection by an Innu elder and end with a closing prayer. On Friday, a community feast will be served to all participants and community members.

If there's not enough time for all Innu who want to speak, the commissioners are set to return to Sheshatshiu as often as needed.

The inquiry has been extended, Igloliorte said. It was expected to originally deliver a final report in October this year, but the deadline has been moved to October 2024.

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