North shore: the Innu council of Pessamit is pursuing its former leader and the federal

Archival photograph of Stevens Leblanc
The Innu council of Pessamit is continuing its former chief Raphaël Picard and the federal government for nearly $ 48 million in damages.

André Normandeau

Friday, February 23, 2018 14:31

UPDATE
Friday, February 23, 2018 14:38

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BAIE-COMEAU – The Innu council of Pessamit is continuing its former chief Raphaël Picard, the co-manager Villeneuve Venne and the department of aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada for a sum of nearly $ 48 million in damages.

First, the Innu council of Pessamit is the former chief Raphaël Picard $ 100,000 for travel expenses already reimbursed.

The council is also pursuing the federal government because he would not have played his role of guard dog of the finances of the reserve.

And, finally, the Innu council of Pessamit is claiming almost $ 7.9 million to the company at Villeneuve Venne, for alleged unlawful and fraudulent.

In 2011, while Raphael Picard was the chief, the band council had an accumulated deficit of $ 25 million and a debt of more than $ 50 million for a population of 3000 Innu.

After the 2012 elections where the current chief, René Simon, had defeated Raphael Picard, a new co-manager had conducted surveys on the management in the past. He had discovered what he considered to be acts of mismanagement, which led to this lawsuit filed in march 2017.

For the moment, no date has yet been set for a trial.