More action needs to be taken by the federal government to address some of the long-standing issues facing the Innu in Labrador.

That’s according to Innu Nation Grand Chief Etienne Rich, who was responding to the latest report by the Canadian Human Rights Commission into the human rights of the Innu of Labrador.

The report, released yesterday, follows up on two other reports released in 1993 and 2002. It includes five recommendations for the federal government to consider.

According to Chief Rich, some of the recommendations in the previous reports were honoured, but Canada “needs to do more.”

Chief Rich points to the conclusion of Modern Treaty negotiations as an important point. He says they have been at the table for 30 years, and believes they need to focus on some of the issues that have been stalling the process for so long.

Meanwhile, one of the co-authors of the report believes that a lot has changed for the Innu since the initial report some three decades ago.

Don McRae has been involved in the writing of all three documents. He says he first visited Sheshatshiu and Davis Inlet back in 1992 and was “shocked” upon seeing how the Innu were treated.

He says in the time since there have been a lot of improvements, citing educational outcomes and the relocation of Davis Inlet residents to Natuashish as examples.

The report itself, however, states that not much has changed, but as McRae explains that doesn’t necessarily mean things haven’t improved.

He says what they mean is that many of the issues haven’t changed. He says if you compare the current issues to what others in Canada would think is appropriate, there’s still a long way to go.