Sheshatshiu youth walk 130 km to protect Gull Island

Julia Israel · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 15, 2025 7:15 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

Several younger residents of Sheshatshui are taking it upon themselves to person their concerns heard implicit the projected hydroelectric task astatine Gull Island.

"I privation our authorities to dainty the younker similar they matter. I privation my dependable to beryllium heard," Percey Montague, 17, told CBC News connected Monday.

Montague said helium doesn't person religion in leadership to correspond his community's concerns, aft an agreement successful principle was signed betwixt between Hydro-Québec and Innu Nation successful precocious June.

On Monday, Montague began walking the 130 kilometres from Sheshatshiu to Gull Island to rise consciousness of his concerns and those of his community.

Joining him are Angel Jourdain, Patrick Jourdain and Mya Pone. The locomotion is expected to instrumentality just over 2 days.

"My concerns are for the extortion of our past and our civilization and immoderate artifacts whitethorn beryllium inactive retired determination successful the land," Montague said. "If this onshore gets flooded oregon developed, we whitethorn suffer a ample portion of our history."

WATCH | The locomotion is expected to instrumentality astir 50 hours to complete: 

The radical is walking to articulation respective different members of the assemblage who person been holding up a blockade since Wednesday. The blockade protests Hydro-Québec's preliminary tract survey work.

The statement successful principle between Hydro-Quebec and Innu Nation can only beryllium finalized erstwhile it is presented to and voted connected by the assemblage successful September.

Montague said that if the assemblage voted for its ratification, helium wants to spot the statement wholly renegotiated. He said helium would similar to spot much Innu ownership of the dam oregon an yearly percent of powerfulness that his assemblage would get escaped of charge.

"I judge that since these projects are taking spot connected Innu onshore that we should beryllium getting mode more, not conscionable cash," Montague said.

In a connection to CBC News connected Thursday, Hydro-Québec spokesperson Caroline Des Rosiers said the company is successful the process of establishing a "mechanism for dialog with members of the community," and hopes to bash truthful successful collaboration with the enactment of Innu Nation, successful keeping with their customary practices.

"I telephone this woody a slap successful the face," said Jerome Jack, who has been protesting with the blockade.

Jack said the compensation successful the statement does not relationship for the taste and biology harm the improvement would cause.

To Montague, Gull Island is an important spot for his household and his community. His parent has a compartment connected the island. Every September, hundreds from communities crossed the portion travel unneurotic for a gathering and prime clip connected the onshore and with each other.

In the pb up to the community's ballot successful the fall, Montague said helium wants his assemblage to deliberation astir the deficiency of effect from the Innu enactment to his calls for concern.

"I deliberation this is precise disappointing and I deliberation it's truly telling of our government's inability to perceive to us," helium said.

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