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| Innu man in snow
© Adam Hinton/Survival |
Professor Colin Samson, associate and supporter of Survival
International, has won the prestigious Pierre Savard Award for his book
on the forced assimilation of the Innu people of the Labrador-Québec peninsula.
Samson's book, A Way of Life that Does not Exist: Canada and the
Extinguishment of the Innu', tells of the shocking effects of
assimilation. The Innu lived as nomadic hunters until the 1950s and
1960s, when the Canadian government forced them to abandon their land
and live in settled villages.
Since they lost their land, the Innu have faced appalling health and
social problems. One community has the world's highest suicide rate,
while solvent abuse among children and teenagers, alcoholism, obesity
and diabetes are rife.
Colin Samson co-authored the human rights report, Canada's Tibet: The Killing of the Innu',
published by Survival in 1999. Canada's Tibet' provoked fierce debate
in the Canadian media. One Innu man told Survival that the report was
outstanding' and had caused rifts across the Atlantic'.
Survival's director Stephen Corry said today, The destruction of the
Innu is Canada's hidden shame. Colin has worked tirelessly to bring it
to light, and I hope the Pierre Savard award will help bring this issue
the attention it deserves.'
Photos and footage available. For more information call Miriam Ross on (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or email mr@survival-international.org
