Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation

Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation
Band No. 33
PeopleInnu
HeadquartersSheshatshiu
ProvinceNewfoundland and Labrador
Land[1]
Reserve(s)
Sheshatshiu 3
Land area8.04 km2
Population (2019)[1]
On reserve1600
On other land9
Off reserve196
Total population1805
Government[1]
ChiefEugene Hart
Website
sheshatshiu.ca

The Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation is located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. This First Nations band government is centred on the community of Sheshatshiu.

The current chief of the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation is Eugene Hart, who succeeded Andrew Penashue in 2015.[2][3] The First Nation had a registered population of 1,805 people as of September 2019.[1]

Labrador's Innu became status Indians under the Indian Act in 2002 and "Sheshatshiu 3" became a federal reserve in 2006.[4]

In October 2019, the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation declared a suicide crisis after 10 suicide attempts were reported within the community in a matter of days.[5]

As of 2020, according to Innu Nation Grand Chief Gregory Rich, Sheshatshiu and Natuashish have a collective population of about 3,000 with about half of that being youths, of that 167 of them are in the care of the Manager of Child and Youth Services. In 2017, the Innu Nation stated that there are 165 Labrador Innu children in foster care, 80 of whom are placed outside their home communities of Sheshatshiu and Natuashish.[6][7]

  1. ^ a b "First Nation Detail". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  2. ^ "Eugene Hart elected Sheshatshiu band council chief". CBC News. September 14, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  3. ^ Marie Wadden (November 18, 2006). "Helping the Innu help themselves - thestar.com". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  4. ^ "Reserve Creation at Sheshatshiu". Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Archived from the original on 2011-10-14.
  5. ^ "Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation in N.L. declares suicide crisis". CBC News. Oct 29, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  6. ^ White, Bailey (Nov 16, 2017). "Innu Nation 'disappointed and embarrassed' Ottawa won't participate in foster care inquiry". CBC News. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  7. ^ "Innu Nation calling for province to follow through on inquiry after teen dies in care". CBC News. Jun 4, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.