Background

The Labrador Inuit Land Claim has been a long time in coming. Filed in 1977, negotiations toward its settlement began in 1988. In June, 2001, Labrador Inuit and the federal and provincial governments signed an Agreement-in-Principle. Ratification of the final agreement began in 2003. The Agreement will be protected as a treaty under the Canadian Constitution. It will define the relationship between Labrador Inuit and our ancestral lands, and pave the way for Labrador Inuit self-government, to be called the Nunatsiavut Government. Ratification of the final Agreement began in 2003. On May 26, 2004 Labrador Inuit voted overwhelmingly in support of the Agreement, paving the way for ratification by the federal and provincial governments.

On December 6, 2004, the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly passed the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act. The Act received Royal Assent the same day. Bill C-56, An Act to give effect to the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement and the Labrador Inuit Tax Treatment Agreement, received first reading on Monday June 6, 2005.

The Land Claim Area

Labrador Inuit claim aboriginal rights and title to northern Labrador and northeastern Québec. The Agreement sets out details of land ownership, resource sharing, and self-government. The Agreement provides for the establishment of the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (LISA) totaling about 72,500 square kilometres (28,000 square miles) in northern Labrador and 48,690 square kilometres (18,800 square miles) of sea. Labrador Inuit will not own this land, but will have special rights related to traditional land use. Within the Settlement Area, Labrador Inuit will own 15,800 square kilometres (6,100 square miles) designated as Labrador Inuit Lands. The Agreement also provides for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, consisting of about 9,600 square kilometres (3,700 square miles) of land within LISA.