Musqueam tenants fight back

A group of tenants who live on Musqueam land in Vancouver are fighting back.

Seventy-two of the homeowners are filing a lawsuit against the Musqueam and the federal government. They want financial compensation and a halt to eviction proceedings.

Friday was the day set by the government to pay up or face eviction. Instead, the tenants have brought a lawsuit in an attempt to prevent them being tossed out of their homes.

Kerry Lynn Findlay, spokeswoman for the tenants' says she hopes the court action will delay any attempt to evict her and the others.

Findlay and the other tenants are also asking for damages. They allege the rents were raised far in excess of the value of the land. She describes it as a conspiracy to drive the tenants out of their houses.

In addition to a halt of proceedings, the tenants want millions of dollars in damages from the federal government.

They say the government failed to protect their interests when it handed responsibility for the leases over to the Musqueam people.