Double Speak Tom Rideout

Please listen to these audio clips. They speak volumes about government double speak, the commitment to aboriginal rights in Labrador and the contridictory regime that controls Labrador.

On one hand the LMN are a fact of life and the government is prepared to recognize.

Clip 1: "Now we have said again as a government we're prepared to recognize in terms of harvesting andgathering and hunting that the LMN are here, they're a fact of life."

On the other hand when asked to participate in a land claim settlement, "not likely", "god bless you both."

Clip 2: "I mean there was a time when Andy Scott was Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development when I get a phone call from him saying if we were to negotiate a . . .a land claim settlement with the Metis of Labrador based on political considerations would the province participate. And I said not likely. We negotiate a land claims agreement with the LMN or Conne River or the Inuit in Labrador or the Innu whoever our Aboriginal population is based on the Baker Lake criteria, the criteria laid down by the Government of Canada that governs land claim negotiations. So if you want to do something different Andy Scott go do it yourself at your own expense with theLabrador Metis and god bless you both but don't expect us to be part of it."

This is the quote shocking the Metis world. The provincial government has repeatedly blamed the Federal government for the impasse on LMN land claim negotiations. Minister Tom Rideout on April 11, 2007 acknowledges they were asked to join in a land claim settlement and the reply was "not likely", "god bless you both".