The Innu Nation has filed a lawsuit in Supreme Court against the Government of Canada and province of Newfoundland and Labrador in response to the recently-announced deal on Muskrat Falls rate mitigation.

Grand Chief Etienne Rich raised concerns last week that the new agreement, which could see Muskrat Falls operate at a ‘break-even’ pace moving forward, may erase benefits to which the Innu Nation agreed when they consented for the Muskrat Falls project to move ahead.

Instead of receiving benefits from the project, they are concerned that they may instead be saddled with millions of dollars in debt.

The Innu Nation says it understands and supports rate mitigation, but contends that there is no justification to make the Innu of Labrador bear the burden of cost overruns.

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Andrew Furey on August 3, they asked for commitments to provide detailed financial modelling for the project, to revise the agreement in principle to ensure Innu benefits, and for a seat at the table to ensure the promised benefits were maintained.

However, Rich says the response of the Prime Minister and Premier has been “disrespectful and dismissive.”

The Innu Nation says the lawsuit is aimed to protect their rights and benefits as agreed upon in 2011. The claim argues that both Canada and the province took action that ‘extinguishes’ the financial benefits on which their original agreement was based.

According to a statement released Tuesday afternoon, both the Prime Minister and Premier were informed on Monday that the Innu Nation would be taking court action in the matter.