Innu inquiry commissioners seek extension as investigations loom
Commissioners of the inquiry into the treatment of Innu children in government care have requested an extension as they await to hear who will be appointed as the new third commissioner.
The inquiry started in 2022 after years of advocacy by Innu following the death of children in care or recently released from care. Commissioners hope the inquiry will lead to Innu taking over their child protection services.
"We've never had an inquiry before like that around children in care," said commissioner Anastasia Qupee. "And I feel like now people want change and the way that the people have spoken, they suffered long enough and people are hopeful for change."
The current deadline for the final report is March 2025. Commissioner Mike Devine said they have requested an extension, as they await the new commission chair.
Devine said he hopes to have a timeline firmed up after the new commissioner has started.
Former commissioner James Igloliorte stepped down due to personal reasons in July. Devine said the provincial government and Innu are working together to select the best replacement.
Trauma and hope
The inquiry is meeting this week in Sheshatshiu to have one final round of community meetings. So far, commissioners have heard from 73 speakers in public and 17 speakers in private.
People have shared experiences with residential schools, day schools, forced settlement in communities, abuse from the church, child and alcohol abuse, suicide and restrictive government policies.
The Inquiry Respecting the Treatment, Experiences and Outcomes of Innu in the child protection system included a memorial of Thunderheart Tshakapesh, who died by suicide at 16 years old. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Qupee said where there is trauma there is also hope. She said it makes her think of her mother, one of the last generations to live off the land and who was also forced to settle into a community and experience intergenerational trauma.
WATCH | The CBC's Heidi Atter has this update on the inquiry on Innu kids in care:
"I feel like she had hope as well and I think that's what kept her going," Qupee said. "Hope that things will change for my children, my grandchildren, that we do not have to endure the things that she endured and my older brothers and sisters.… And we want to thrive. We want to see our kids thrive. We want to see our children thrive as well. So there's always that hope that I saw."
The community meetings are running until Nov. 8 at the Sheshatshiu Youth Centre. Any Innu are invited to speak and healing services are on site to help anyone in need. With each round of meetings and each speaker, the root issues and solutions become clearer, Devine said.
After this final round of community meetings, the inquiry will begin investigations into the death of six children who were in care or had recently left child protective services.
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