Innu Nation, and several of its members launched a class action lawsuit against the Government of Canada and the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador seeking recognition for the many Innu who experienced mistreatment in day schools in Sheshatshiu, Davis Inlet and Natuashish. 

The class action lawsuit is on behalf of Innu who attended the schools and on behalf of Innu Nation, Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation and Mushuau Innu First Nation to reflect the collective harms suffered by the Innu. 

In a news release from the Innu Nation, it states that Innu children suffered from physical, sexual, emotional and cultural abuse and other forms of abuse in the day schools, which were funded by Canada, and overseen by the Province in the period from 1949 – 2009. The Innu took control over their own education system through the Innu school board, Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education in 2009.

The class action suit from the Innu Nation and various Innu individuals mirrors similar national claims, particularly the Day Schools class action which was settled in 2019, and the Band Reparations class action which was settled in 2023. Innu were left out of those settlements because the Innu did not come under the Indian Act until the early 2000’s. 

The next step in the action will be to have the courts certify the claim to proceed as a class action.