Premier Andrew Furey is hosting a roundtable with Indigenous leaders today, but there will be some notable absences.
The Innu Nation, the Natuashish and Sheshatshiu First Nations and the Nunatsiavut Government will not be in attendance.
Both Nunatsiavut and the Innu Nation announced in October that they were pulling out of the Premier’s discussions.
They say they do not believe the provincial government under Premier Furey will fairly address the concerns they’ve raised about the NunatuKavut Community Council which identifies as a “southern Inuit” population.
The Innu Nation and Nunatsiavut Government have raised repeated concerns they have about the NCC’s ongoing efforts toward Indigenous recognition, and access to funding provided to Indigenous groups and individuals.
The roundtable, hosted by the Miawpukek First Nation in Conne River will include Minister Lisa Dempster, area MHA Elvis Loveless and a virtual presentation by Dr. Pat Parfrey Deputy Minister of Health Transformation.