ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- A Labrador politician has apologized for belittling the spiritual claims of native protesters who are opposed to the planned Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.
Keith Russell, the provincial Progressive Conservative member for Lake Melville, says he is of Inuit descent and was raised to respect the beliefs of others.
Russell says it was a "poor choice of words" when he dismissed the spiritual claims of native protesters as "mumbo jumbo."
Russell made the comment in an interview last week and warned people to be wary when native opponents of the proposed development refer to land around Muskrat Falls as sacred ground.
Premier Kathy Dunderdale has publicly said the comments were unacceptable and opposition members had called on Russell to apologize.
The government is expected to decide this fall whether to approve the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric dam in Labrador after a debate in the legislature.
