N.L. government reaches tentative rate mitigation deal with Innu Nation

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has reached a tentative rate mitigation deal with Innu Nation, Premier Andrew Furey said Friday.

Furey, along with Attorney General John Hogan and Indigenous Affairs Minister Scott Reid,met with members of Innu Nation's executive committee in Natuasish to hash out the agreement,according to a news release Friday afternoon

"This is a significant step forward, together, and we thank the Innu Nation for hosting this important discussion today," the three politicians said in a joint statement.

The announcement comes just two months after the Innu Nation signalled it would take the provincial government back to court, alleging Newfoundland and Labrador violated its duty to the Innu by not including them in consultations and accommodations in the $5.2-billion Muskrat Falls rate mitigation deal.

Innu Nation Grand Chief Simon Pokue said in Julythat Innu Nation would head back to court for a deal that is a "bailout" for Newfoundland rate payers that doesn't give thesame benefits to the Innu.

"WeInnugave up our land so that this project could go ahead, we signed an Impacts and Benefits Agreement that could not have predicted the scale of gross mismanagement of the Muskrat Falls project," Pokue said at the time.

"We did not cause this mess, and our people should not be held responsible for it."

Friday's statement from government says details on the agreement and a formal signing "will follow in the coming weeks."

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