Quebec Court of Appeal Approves $900M Innu Lawsuit against Rio Tinto (IOC)

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Innu First Nations of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam and Matimekush-Lac John have had a legal achievement in their 900 million dollar lawsuit against the mining giant Rio Tinto’s subsidiary company, Iron Ore Company of Canada. So far, Rio Tinto (IOC) had been attempting to have the case dismissed before it even went on trial by alleging that it should have sued the government instead of the company.

A motion to dismiss the lawsuit, filed by the Rio Tinto (IOC), was rejected at first instance by the Quebec Superior Court on September 19, 2014. Whereas, now the Court of Appeal has also refused to hear an appeal of the judgment filed by Rio Tinto (IOC) on January 6, 2015. Consequently, Chief of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, Mike McKenzie, alleged that “Rio Tinto and its subsidiary IOC continue to try to ignore us, just as they always have. IOC’s president even refuses to meet with us personally. But after this judgement, Rio Tinto (IOC) will no longer be able to hide. The highest Court in Quebec has made clear that Rio Tinto’s subsidiary IOC will have to answer in Court for its violations of our constitutionally protected rights, which violations date back to the 1950s.”

According to the Chief, he has tried again and again to achieve an honourable outcome with Rio Tinto by way of negotiation regardless of its 900 million dollar lawsuit and the injunction they are seeking to put an end to the “IOC megaproject.”