Shut. Muskrat. Down

We are a group of concerned citizens fighting against the development of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric megaproject. We are a diverse group and we come from all walks of life. We all bring different experiences, perspectives, and opinions. We are Innu. We are Inuit. We are Southern Inuit/Métis. We are Settlers. And we are all banding together to #ShutMuskratDown.

We are fighting against Muskrat Falls for many reasons.

1. Inuit and Southern Inuit/Métis were never consulted to give free, prior, and informed consent to this project. This projects affects the waterways and lands around Inuit Settlement Areas. That we were not consulted directly violates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Article 28).

2. This project has been fraught with racism from the very beginning. Innu workers at Muskrat Falls worksite have faced everything from racist remarks to physical assualt on the job. This is unacceptable.

3. The Muskrat Falls dam will cause significant methlymercury contamination. Methlymercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in fat as it progresses up the food web. This is particularly harmful to us because we hunt and fish from these waters. By contaminating the food sources of our traditional diet, Nalcor is cutting us off from our culture and way of life.

4. The dam itself is built on quick clay and poses a serious safety risk to the public. Experts have spoken out against the structural problems that arise from building on quick clay and have deemed it "not safe". Furthermore, Nalcor is passing the buck on their inadequate emergency response plans in case of a breach in the dam.

5. The economic impacts of this project will haunt our province forever. Nalcor's own CEO called the project a boondoggle! The estimated costs are up to $11.4 Billion, and rising. This will impact the entire province, not just Labradorians.

These are just a sampling of the serious issues that we are fighting against. And the only reasonable solution: Shut. Muskrat. Down.