Feature Article - June 29, 2006

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Feature Article - June 29, 2006

SummerSolstice inSharbotLake

by JeffGreen

Celtic Storyteller "Bear theTinker" leads theSharbotLakeSolstice Parade It takes bravery to bring together 350 public school students one week before the end of school and try and get them to focus on anything, let alone a host of topics, ranging from bike safety to Algonquin stories to the alignment of the planets in the solar system.

But this successfully happened on June 21st at Sharbot Lake Public Beach , when students from Hinchinbrooke, Land o’ Lakes, and Sharbot Lake Public Schools were happy to oblige. Among other things, they listened in rapt attention to storytellers Danka Brewer from the Sharbot Mishigama Algonquins, and Pam Harris from the Kingston Frontenac Public Library; took turns looking at the sun through Leo Enright’s solar telescope; created planetary tiles with potter Joanne Pickett; and powered a light by cycling at a display set up by Martin Wotherspoon, a student in the St. Lawrence College Alternative Technology program.

Cheryl Matson organized the Solstice Celebration at the Sharbot Lake public beach, which got underway early in the morning on June 21st, and kept going until the sun had set on the longest day of the year.

“I wanted to organize something that would bring the different parts of the community together,” Matson said in contemplating how the event unfolded, “and I found the day went very well for everyone.”

Matson and the Highway 7 Community Development Corporation produced the event, with assistance from the Community Foundation of Greater Kingston, who chipped in with a $2,000 grant.

Among the main participants in the Solstice Celebration were the Sharbot Mishigama Anishnabe Algonquin First Nation (SMA), who integrated it with their celebration of National Aboriginal Day.

“We wanted to share our celebration with others this year,” recalls Davis , “and this turned out to be an excellent way of doing that. It was a wonderful day, I was so impressed. I hope it happens again.”

The SMA set up displays throughout the park, and later in the afternoon they demonstrated the “Strawberry Teaching” to a crowd that assembled for after school and evening festivities.

As women formed a circle around a bowl of berries, and men formed another, wider circle around the women, Chief Davis told the story of the strawberry ceremony and took the opportunity to explain the significance of the ceremony for those in attendance. During a briefer version of the actual ceremony (the full ceremony takes about 90 minutes), Chief Davis explained that the strawberry ceremony symbolizes the responsibility of the community towards children, particularly girls. The white flower of the strawberry represents children, and the red berry, adolescence. Women carry the responsibility of teaching the children and the men the responsibility of protecting the community.

Doreen Davis was happy to have the opportunity to share the message of the strawberry ceremony in the context of the Algonquin Land Claim process that she is involved with as a representative from Sharbot Lake .

“We need to put the infrastructure in place to take care of our community, which is suffering from poverty, alcohol abuse, and other problems. We need a safe place for our community to heal, and for us the land claim is about putting institutions in place for that to happen.”

The strawberry ceremony also paved the way for a massive strawberry social, where heaping helpings of strawberry shortcake were served, free, to everyone in attendance, courtesy of Crooked Hills Farm, Robinson’s Dairy and a host of local bakers.

At 7:00, a freeform parade developed, meandering its way around the beach, as a tinker/storyteller by the name of Bear arrived to regale young and old with Celtic stories and songs. Musicians played, the women’s drum drummed, and an impromptu all-ages soccer game developed in one corner of the park as the long summer day began to wane and twilight approached.

“It was a very nice day,” Cheryl Matson recalls, “There was magic in the way the day developed.”

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Feature Article - June 15, 2006

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Feature Article - June 15, 2006

Ardoch Algonquins eyeCrown Land for band office

Co-Chiefs Randy Cota and Bob Lovelace and honourary Chief Harold Perry of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation (AAFN) paid a visit to North Frontenac Council last week (June 8), and informed council of their imminent plans to build a band office and community centre on Crown land somewhere within the township.

Co-chief Randy Cota told council that, “There are in excess of 700 members of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, and a good number of them are in North Frontenac. We are at a crossroads. We are in the process of building a band office/community centre, and we are choosing between three different spots on Algonquin Land to build on. We would like North Frontenac to be involved in picking a spot.”

Co-Chief Cota added that the Ardoch Algonquins are expecting to start working on site preparation within the next two months.

Mayor Ron Maguire said that “if any of the sites are located on municipally owned land, it would be fairly straightforward to negotiate a purchase of the land from the township.”

“Whether we are looking at municipal or crown land, we don’t want to buy our own horse,” said Randy Cota, “but all of the land we are looking at is what you call crown land.”

“In that case, it is a matter for the MNR [Ministry of Natural Resources], not a matter for the township.”

“Will you follow the building code and other regulations?” asked Councillor Fred Perry.

“We’re not going to pay for a building permit, if that’s what you’re asking” said Randy Cota.

“That’s not what I’m asking,” replied Fred Perry, “I want to know if you will build according to the code.”

“Sure,” said Bob Lovelace, “it’s a good code, it makes sense to follow it.”

The decision by the Ardoch Algonquins to proceed with plans to build a band office/community centre on Crown land comes about as Algonquin land claim talks, which the Ardoch Algonquins are not participating in, are gaining a momentum after years of dormancy.

Co-Chief Lovelace talked briefly to council about the position the band has taken relative to the ongoing Algonquin land claim process.

“We got involved in negotiations 15 years ago.” Lovelace said, “They realised that the land claim needed to include ‘non-status’ Algonquin people, and we negotiated an understanding with them. We had certain conditions and these conditions have not been met and we have therefore not participated in the process.”

As a consequence of their non-participation, Lovelace said that the Ardoch Algonquins have had no success in their own attempts to negotiate with government officials.

“Frequently, Ardoch Algonquins have been hassled in the field by government officials. No one has been charged, but they have been hassled. We have made several attempts to discuss hunting and fishing issues with Ministry of Natural Resources over hunting and fishing, but they have not responded to our requests.”

Mayor Ron Maguire replied, “I am aware from the provincial government, that you need to be part of the land claim in order to assert your inherent or aboriginal rights.”

Ron Maguire represents the County of Frontenac to the municipal advisory committee to the Algonquin Land Claim, and he recently attended a meeting updating the committee on the state of negotiations. Bob Lovelace and Randy Cota asked that the township designate an individual they could keep apprised of developments on an ongoing basis to foster communication between the township and the band, and Maguire volunteered to fill that role.

At the previous council meeting on May 25, Maguire told council that at the recent municipal advisory committee meeting, he had been informed that the Algonquin negotiation team was preparing a framework for negotiations to present to the federal and provincial governments in the near future in anticipation of completing an agreement in principle within two years.

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

Letters to theEditor

Horrendous day at the vet

Thursday was a horrendous day for my cat Sirrah and I, but had a happy ending thanks to the nice people in the town of Sharbot Lake .

I decided to take Sirrah to the vet for all his needles.The vet's officeis in downtown Sharbot Lake .So we go in and he is teased about being big boned.I am going to put him on a diet.He made friends with all the dogs and was quite a hit with everyone.But then we went outside and he decided to go under the steps.There was along boardwalk at the side of the building with a spot just big enough for a small dog or cat to go underneath it, and guess who went in there just as some people were bringing in big crates and making a lot of noise on the walkway.The dust cleared and Sirrah would not come out.Several people stopped and tried to help.Then Rodger MacMunn, the sign painter,came over and said he could paint a hole for him to come out. lol!!Big help.But Rodger got out his cell phone and called the lady who owns the property [Rosemarie Bowick].She gave permission for the boards to be taken up andcame over with her hubby [Bill] too. They took up three boardsand put a hose down to squirt Sirrah (and me, as I had crawled under the steps too by this time). He came forward but not far enough.Then Rodger gets a chain saw and cuts a board right where Sirrah is and thunks Sirrah with the board. Lo and behold, Sirrah belts out at 60 miles an hour back to the vet’s office, with me in hot pursuit.I get him and put him in my car.He hides under my seat, traumatized.Poor cat!!

I offered to pay for the boards, but the husband of the lady who owns the building said, "Lady, take your cat and go home".He was smiling at me, tho'.I thanked everyone a lot andcame home to Big Clear Lake . I want to let everyone know what nice people live around here.

- Glynne Howland

Re: "Ardoch Algonquins eye crown land"In your article you note that that Mayor Ron Maguire stated, "I am aware from the provincial government, that you need to be a part of the land claim in order to assert your inherent or aboriginal rights". The provincial has no right to say anything regarding Algonquin aboriginal rights. The Algonquin Nationhas been lied to and terrorized by the provincial government to make its people think it has a right to negotiate a treaty. The Algonquin Nation is a Sovereign Nation.This sovereignty is guaranteed by many documents. Does Ontario think it can make treaties with China or Bolivia ?I think not. So why does Ontario think it can make or set conditions on any treaty with the Algonquin Nation.Treaties are made between nations. A province has no basis in law to make a treaty with a Sovereign Nation. This "treaty" is a part of the governments "Final Solution" to strip all native peoples living within the boundaries of Canada of their lands, their traditions, and eventually their Indian identity. The Canadian government has built reservations, many of which have no better conditions than Concentration Camps. The Canadian and Ontario Governments have all ready fulfilled the United Nations description of Genocide in their treatment of native peoples. When do you think they will start to build the ovens? - David Bate, Ardoch Algonquin First Nation

Mini Golf at SLPSWe are students from Sharbot Lake Public School and we are writing to see if anyone knows about the mini golf at our school, in the big yard, under the big trees.

So we want to know how it works. We were digging it up and cleaning it off, and we wonder what the holes are for. If you used to go to this school here and you know how it is suppose to work, please contact us at school and leave a message. We will return your call.

Yours truly,Stacey Young and Curtis Barlow-WilkesP.S. The last day of school is June 29th

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

LandClaim proceeding apace by JeffGreen

Robert Potts, the chief negotiator for the Algonquin Land Claim, has the “aggressive objective” that an agreement in principle can be reached within the next two years.

Since being hired by the Algonquins a couple of years ago, Robert Potts has spent a considerable amount of time putting together what he calls a “negotiation table”. Elections were held last year to establish negotiation representatives for so-called non-status Algonquins that have been organized around nine identified communities, including Sharbot Lake and Ardoch.

These nine representatives and the entire seven-member Council of the Pikwakanagan First Nation (the only Algonquin reserve in Ontario ) form the Algonquin negotiation table that Potts was seeking.

Early this spring, the Algonquins resumed meeting with federal and provincial government representatives, breathing life into the land claim process that had been dormant for several years.

The Algonquins are currently preparing a framework for negotiations. Issues that will be on the table include hunting and fishing on publicly held land within the land claim territory (which stretches from Bancroft to the Quebec border, including Algonquin Park and the City of Ottawa), as well as the development of an economic plan.

“We are looking to develop economic plans with each of the regions, as well as an overarching plan,” Potts said in an interview with the News last week, “We are proceeding with a paced process that will lead to a package, which we hopefully will be honoured to accept. But if the people don’t accept it, it won’t work.”

As the land claim process gets underway again, municipal officials and representatives from interested groups, such as the Conservationists of Frontenac Addington, (COFA) met last month to receive an update.

North Frontenac Mayor Ron Maguire attended the meeting as representative of the County of Frontenac . He reported back to the county that, “There was a positive atmosphere around talks as far as I can tell, but many substantive issues will have to be addressed.”

Crown land covers 70% of North Frontenac, and all development on Crown land has been frozen within the land claim territory, so the township has a real interest in seeing the land claim resolved so that economic development on Crown land can be initiated.

Ed Giffin, who represented COFA at the municipal meeting, had a similar impression of the meeting.

Giffin told the News he found that “there was no friction or animosity at the meeting, and a good atmosphere of cooperation as well. I note that Brain Crane, the chief negotiator for Ontario , seemed to think that Mr. Potts’ goal of having an agreement in place within two years might be overly optimistic.”

Ed Giffin also talked with Chief Doreen Davis, the representative of the Sharbot Lake Algonquins. “She was very open, easy to talk to, and that’s exactly what we need,” Giffin said.

There are several major roadblocks to an agreement, however. The question of eligibility is outstanding. Algonquins from Pikwakanagan, who are status Indians under the Indian Act (which requires a minimum percentage of Algonquin blood or blood quantum) do not share the view taken by non-status Algonquins that anyone who is the direct descendant of an Algonquin should be a beneficiary to the claim.

For the purposes of electing negotiation representatives, the looser criteria of direct descent has been accepted, but eligibility to vote does not imply eligibility to receive benefits.

“There was no point worrying about who is eligible to receive benefits when we don’t know what the benefits are,” said Robert Potts, “but we are working on the eligibility issue.

There are Algonquins who are not satisfied with the land claim process at all and with the way representatives to the process were chosen.

One such person is Randy Cota, a co-chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, who has been a harsh critic of the way the land claim process has proceeded.

Randy Cota says, “Hunting and fishing are inherent rights; they should not be part of the land claim process. The land claim should also focus on royalties for natural resources on Algonquin lands, such as minerals and logging, and negotiations should be conducted on a nation-to-nation basis between the Algonquin Nation and the Government of Canada.”

He also challenges the way the Algonquin negotiation representatives were chosen. Cota and his Ardoch Algonquins rejected the election process, arguing that representatives should be chosen according to Algonquin tradition, by a council of family heads."

“The election process for representatives was a fair one,” counters Robert Potts, “and the federal and provincial governments have formally indicated they have found that we have a legitimate table to negotiate.”

(Randy Cota and Bob Lovelace are co-chiefs and Harold Perry is the Honorary Chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. There is another band called the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, under Chief Randy Malcolm, and there is a simmering dispute between the two bands. Randy Malcolm was elected Algonquin negotiation representative for the community of Ardoch. For background on the twists and turns of local Algonquin politics, there are a number of articles posted at http://www.newsweb.ca/2005/Algonquin_index.html)

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

MediaStatement Re: AAFNACulturalCentre andPow-WowGround

Algonquin Negotiation TeamJuly 17, 2006

It has come to the attention of the Algonquin Negotiation Team that the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Allies (“AAFNA”) has been clearing a site for a cultural centre and pow-wow ground near the village of Ardoch, Ontario.

The Algonquin Negotiation Team is comprised of elected Algonquin Negotiation Representatives (“ANR’s”) from nine Communities of Algonquins (Antoine, Ardoch, Bancroft, Bonnechere, Greater Golden Lake, Mattawa/North Bay, Ottawa, Sharbot Lake and Whitney) as well as the elected Chief and six elected Councillors of the Algonquins of Pikwanag First Nation. Robert J. Potts is the Principal Negotiator and Senior Legal Counsel.

The Algonquin Negotiation Team is mandated by the Algonquins of Ontario to participate in comprehensive negotiations that are currently underway and which are focused on the ultimate objective of entering into an Algonquin Treaty with the governments of Canada and Ontario (the “Governments”). The negotiations will address land and natural resource issues, as well as financial transfers and other rights that will be given constitutional protection under section 35 (1) of the Constitution Act, 1982.

AAFNA is comprised of some persons who have chosen not to participate in the ongoing Algonquin treaty negotiations although we are told that most of its members are of Algonquin ancestry and were eligible to participate in the ANR elections. Notwithstanding that decision ongoing efforts have been, and are being made by the Ardoch ANR and others to communicate with these persons and to solicit their input with respect to the negotiation process.

The position advanced by the Algonquins of Ontario since negotiations began in 1991 is that all of the land in Ontario within the watersheds of the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers are unceded Algonquin territory, subject to Algonquin aboriginal rights and title. This includes the so-called “Crown land” in question near Ardoch.

The Algonquin treaty negotiations seek to bring clarity and certainty to the rights of Algonquins, other governments and private persons within the Algonquin Territory.

The Algonquin Negotiation Team agrees that while the Algonquin treaty negotiations are underway, Algonquin rights on the land and in relation to the land should not be in any way suspended. The Algonquins have always been prepared to share their territory with newcomers on the basis of mutual respect and goodwill.

At the negotiation table the Algonquin Negotiation Team is seeking to restore a balance to the interests of Algonquins and others within Algonquin Territory. In the interests of fruitful negotiations, the creation of good relationships at the negotiation table, and in the interests of reconciliation it is essential that the exercise of Algonquin aboriginal rights in Algonquin territory be carried out in a way that fosters harmony and good relationships with local, provincial and federal governments, and with private interests.

It is anticipated that the negotiations with the Governments will lead to an Agreement in Principle and then a Treaty, both of which will be put to the Algonquins of Ontario for approval (including all Algonquins in the Ardoch Community). These negotiations will continue to be carried out in as transparent and as inclusive a manner as that process will permit. The settlement, if it is achieved, will not only benefit one Community but also all Algonquins of Ontario. To engage in unilateral action, as the AAFNA group has done is counter-productive and inconsistent with the interests of the Algonquins of Ontario in our collective efforts to find a comprehensive solution to our long outstanding grievances.

While the Algonquin Negotiation Team therefore expresses its support for the use of Algonquin land for Algonquin cultural purposes, at the same time, it urges AAFNA to continue to take a respectful and co-operative approach to the assertion and recognition of all Algonquin rights.

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Feature Article - July 27, 2006

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Feature Article - July 27, 2006

Letters to the Editor

Beautifying VeronaRe:PineLakeSubmission to Central Frontenac Council Re Permitting ATVs on Township RoadsRe: Negotiator weighs in on AAFNA actionsIncredible Jenna LambertRequest for CF Township Support for Road MaintenanceBathurst Burgess Sherbrooke Township had history and prideRe: “Development after… and beforeRe:Permitting ATVs on CentralFrontenac Townshiproads

Beautifying Verona

Here’s a big thank you to all the people who sweated in the dirt to make Verona a more beautiful place.

Susie Ralph organized the planting of flower barrels (bought by the VCA and tended by local businesses) that line the Main Street . Jen Bennett, Al Parkin and Doug McIntyre lent their backs and their green thumbs to that project. Louise Day once again planted the lovely display at the cenotaph in McMullen Park , and rumour has it that someone in her household waters them. The floral display at the post office is particularly beautiful this year. Kornerstone Kastle’s Steve Johnson won the Canada Post tender to create that. Thanks also to whoever keeps a rein on the huge planting in front of Prince Charles P.S. It’s an enormous task to hold back the weeds and keep the sides mown. Dave & Angie Gard have created a gem of a meditation park behind their place which is used by passersby.

I’ve noticed that it only takes a few places with flower displays to start a snowball of others in the village, and what a difference it makes to our sense of who we are!

Inie Platenius[ back to top ]Re: Pine Lake

While my heart truly grieves for the cutting down of mature trees on a quiet lake, I suspect there is a lot more going on at Pine Lake than what meets the eye.

While we may feel deeply offended that white man’s protocol may not have been followed, we must also admit that the legal system itself is not free of guilt.

The North American Aboriginals do not deserve to be kept in a defensive position where they must continually be required to fight for the honor and dignity which is already rightfully theirs as forefathers of this country.

- Peter Thomas Rivera[ back to top ]Submission to Central Frontenac Council Re Permitting ATVs on Township Roads

The June 29th issue of the Frontenac News reported on the discussion at the previous council meeting about a possible bylaw permitting the use of ATVs on Township roads. This discussion was initiated by the Frontenac ATV Club. I am concerned that because the club is an organized group, it, and its members, will be the main source of opinion before council.

Summary of my views: ATVs do not belong on public roads.

ATVs on public roads are in competition for the right-of-way with much larger vehicles.

ATVs do not have the many safety features built into, and required in, passenger and commercial vehicles. ATV riders are therefore much more vulnerable to injury than passengers in other types of vehicles.

Then add in the behaviour of some ATV riders that I have observed over the years: no helmets, with children as passengers without helmets, travelling faster than the vehicle/road features support, driving (e.g., in the middle) as if the road was a private driveway.

Then add in the nature of some of the roads in Central Frontenac: gravel roads that are much less than two lanes wide (and certainly, no shoulders), with blind hills and corners reducing visibility of oncoming traffic, soft dirt surfaces that are torn up by ATVs.

Finally, there’s the legal/enforcement element: the OPP are not able to deal now with ATV activity which is clearly illegal, so why would enforcement be better when a bylaw allows ATV use of public roads and it’s a less clear issue of legal vs. illegal? It doesn’t make sense.

ATV use of public roads is a public safety matter and any decision should be based on a wide consultation of taxpayers, not on the biased view of an interest group. Council should allow sufficient time for public input before it is prepared to make an informed decision.

Response to the ATV Club’s views as reported in the Frontenac News

1. Statement: Patricia Dawson, the ATV Club’s secretary, pointed out that other townships permit certain kinds of ATVs driven by people with G2 or M2 licences.

Response: Because one municipality does something, does not mean we should. We should consider our own unique circumstances, as well as the health and safety of all our residents and visitors.

2. Statement about the successful implementation of a bylaw in South Frontenac - the ATV Club representative said that the bylaw improved the situation because “Instead of ATVs riding illegally on township roads, they are riding according to safety regulations that can be enforced,”

Response: “can be enforced” does not automatically mean “will be enforced”.

3. Statement about the issue of driving ATVs on gravel roads, Pat Dawson says that ATVs are expected to ride on the far right - on the shoulder if there is one, or on the road where necessary.’

Response: Similar to point #2, “are expected to ride on the far right” does not mean “will” do so.

4. Patricia Dawson cautioned council that they consider the will of the majority when they think about whether to pass an ATV bylaw. “Most of the people who live in your township year round and shop in the stores and volunteer in the fire departments are in favour of this,” she said, “you might want to consider their interests over those of a minority who might oppose it.”

Response: First, where is the proof that the majority are in favour? Second, just because a majority approve of something that might be harmful to people does not mean that responsible elected officials should embed it in the law.

- Gail Burgess [ back to top ]Negotiator weighs in on AAFNA actions

Several weeks ago Mr. Robert Potts, Chief Negotiator and Legal Counsel for the Algonquins of Golden Lake Land Claim issued a media statement in response to the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation’s initiative of building a Cultural Centre and Pow Wow grounds on Algonquin land near Ardoch , Ontario . While Mr. Potts concedes that Algonquins have the unilateral right to develop land in their homeland he suggests that the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation has chosen the wrong time to do so. He also attempts to portray the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation as “some persons who have chosen not to participate” in the ongoing Algonquin land claim. While Mr. Potts’ statement is half true (Algonquin people and their communities have an unquestionable legal right to develop land as they choose) he once again undermines the legitimacy of the Algonquin claim by supporting a process that is flawed and inequitable.

Mr. Potts has cobbled together a coalition of individuals and the Band Council of Pikwan in an effort save a failed process. At best the representation of so called “non-status” ANRs is questionable in that they have no other political responsibilities to their communities than going to negotiation meetings and collecting their per diem. The so called representative of “Ardoch” was never elected and his constituency consists of a mailing list stolen from the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and names borrowed from other ANRs. This representative and Mr. Potts have been challenged publicly on numerous occasions to resolve this issue with the legitimate Ardoch Algonquin First Nation but they both have refused.

“Wrong time”? One begins to wonder when the right time will be to find the truth. The present Algonquin negotiation team consists of six Band councillors from the Pikwan community and one representative from some of the other historical Algonquin communities. Some Algonquin communities have been ignored altogether. Why does this inequality exist? In reality Band Council is a federal incorporation under the Indian Act; in reality one branch of the federal government is negotiating with another branch for Algonquin land. The Indian Act does not support the rights and title of Aboriginal people in Canada . In fact, it has undermined and hobbled the self-determination of Indian people for the last 130 years.

“Wrong time”? Let’s get rid of the Indian Act first in law and in our own minds before we negotiate with a government that still wields the instrument of oppression.

The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation was one of the first historical Algonquin communities engaged by Pikwan 16 years ago at the beginning of their land claim. Band Council was told by Canada that they needed full participation (total extinguishment) before a final deal could be reached. After careful study and through experience the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation has determined that it is not in the best interest of their 700 plus members to take part in this claim. We do need a Cultural Centre and a gathering place for ceremony and Pow Wow?

This is the right time for our community to move forward.

- Robert LovelaceCommunications Team LeaderArdoch Algonquin First Nation[ back to top ]

Incredible Jenna Lambert

Jenna Lambert certainly is an incredible young woman.Proper acknowledgement should also be given to Jenna's coach, Vicki Keith.The raw passion of this amazing young lady was honed by Vicki.She counseled Jenna regarding this challenge, the required endurance, and the intense media engagement that would follow Jenna's unquestionable landing at Ontario Park . Jenna's effort surpasses all published descriptions.This young woman gives us hope, and she is a formidable athlete in her own deserved right. She demonstrates not only incredible physical strength, but she possesses something she will never lose in the water, in life, or on land: an absolute beautiful zest for life.In today's world, this is something most able-bodied adults either never attained, or somehow lost along the way.Jenna Lambert is already a much more beautiful and confident person than most of us ever hope to be. You will notice I have never mentioned disability, neither did Jenna.. "quitting was never an option." - Ian Fanning[ back to top ]

Request for CF Township Support for Road Maintenance

The Blue Heron Ridge Road Association welcomes this opportunity to clarify and supplement the information in the article "Private road residents open up dialogue with CF township", The Frontenac News, July 27, 2006.

John DuChene, Guenter Nitsche and Michael Wise approached Central Frontenac Council, at its July 25, 2006 meeting, on behalf of our members, the owners of the 76 properties accessed using Blue Heron Ridge and Thrush Trail, to request that council enter into discussions regarding the township contributing to the maintenance of those roads.

Both Blue Heron Ridge and Thrush Trail are public roads, as shown in Judge's Plan 1608 and Plan of Subdivision 1751, they are not private roads. They differ from most public roads in Central Frontenac in that they are maintained by the local property owners rather than the township. They are similar in that they are owned by the township, the township has jurisdiction over them, they are freely available for public use and the local property owners can neither limit nor control their use. Private roads, on the other hand, are owned by individuals or corporations, are not subject to the same government controls and are not freely available for public use. Given the differences between public and private roads, we do not believe it to be appropriate to include the latter in our request.

We knew when we purchased our properties that the township is under no obligation to maintain Blue Heron Ridge and Thrush Trail. However, economic conditions have changed and expectations have evolved. Equity and fairness are the bases of our request for township support. We are not the only persons to benefit from the development that has taken place along these roads. Our fellow township residents enjoy, with us, the improvements in services funded by the resulting increases in tax revenues and our township businesses benefit from an expanded customer base. We are, however, the only persons paying to maintain them. This is in addition to our contributing, along with all other property owners, to township operations through municipal taxes. We are, in effect, being levied a "surtax".

We are not asking that the township cover the full cost of maintaining Blue Heron Ridge and Thrush Trail. Nor are we asking that the township roads department assume the additional burden of undertaking this work. We ask only that other Central Frontenac tax payers now share with us in the cost of maintaining these two public roads that are benefiting us all.

Wemade our request to council as property owners living on public roads. We know that several matters pertaining to private roads are currently under consideration by council; however, we see these as being distinct from our request. To make progress on all matters, the distinction should be maintained.

We cannot take credit for preparing the Report on Private Lanes. It was prepared by township staff and presented to council by Heather Fox as part of her Report to Council.

We appreciate the reception given us by council and their undertaking to consider entering into a dialog on this matter. There are, understandably, a number of issues council wishes to look into before discussions can proceed, and we need time to obtain the information requested by the mayor. We will follow up with council in a few weeks. - The Blue Heron Ridge Road Association.[ back to top ]

Re: Development after… and before

I have just read your article, “Private road residents open up dialogue with CF township” in this week’s “News” and would like to point out an error that occurred in a similar article, “Development after …and before” which appeared in the June 29th issue of The Frontenac News.

There is a significant difference between the Blue Heron Ridge road in Central Frontenac, a private road and Sunday Lake Drive in North Frontenac. Sunday Lake Drive is NOT a private road as was stated in your article but, rather, it is a North Frontenac Township road that is not maintained by the township. Councilor Dave Smith was either misquoted in the article or didn’t realize what he said when referring to, “….. our concerns about developments on private roads.”

The Sunday Lake Property Owners’ Association president was only asking for financial assistance to maintain a township road that has seen a large increase in traffic after the township put in the new boat launch. This increased traffic has resulted in higher maintenance costs for the residents and the association has felt it necessary to purchase insurance for the road.

Jim Beam, Sunday Lake [ back to top ]

Bathurst Burgess Sherbrooke Township had history and pride

Drummond/North Elmsley Township has some prominent new township entrance signs. Five stars to Drummond North Elmsley for showing pride in heritage and keeping the old township names.

One sign is just outside Perth on Highway 511. On the opposite side of the road is .

Bathurst Township , now part of the amalgamated township currently called Tay Valley Township , (TVT) or Bathurst Burgess Sherbrooke (BBS) before name change.

Bathurst and Drummond were founded by soldiers and settlers arriving at Perth in the early 1800's. The concession roads run the same direction. Balderson is located at the junction of the 8th line Bathurst , the 8th line Drummond and the Lanark Road . Farmers from both townships participated in making the Mammoth Cheese of 1893.

Driving to Balderson from Perth the traveller is greeted by another sign.- "Welcome to the

Mississippi Valley ". Balderson is in the Mississippi Valley . So too are Harper, Fallbrook, and Playfairville. By Highway #7 from the west, travellers enter TVT along the shore of Silver Lake . They can stop at a provincial park or at Maberly on the Fall River . Both are in the Mississippi watershed. In the south in Burgess is Murphy’s Point Provincial Park on Big Rideau Lake .

TVT has new township/tourism signage (grant money) with name, logo, and words "Support

Local Business". To me the message is mixed. I believe in supporting local business, but I do not support the current township name and this branding. There is a lot more to a community name than promoting tourism. The old townships have almost 200 years of community and family history and pride. BBS was a compromise to respect the old townships when amalgamation swept Ontario . BBS is a big name for a big, beautiful and diverse area. There is no pride in the high-handed manner in which the TVT name was adopted by the previous council. Branding does not make the name issue go away.

Yes, "Welcome to Bathurst " - "Welcome to Bathurst Burgess Sherbrooke".

Catherine McCann[ back to top ]

Re:Permitting ATVs on CentralFrontenac Townshiproads I would like to provide my comments in respect of the Central Frontenac proposal to allow ATVs on township roads and to rebut the opinions about ATVs and ATVers offered by Gail Burgess.

Foremost, I think permitting ATVs to use township roads would be a benefit to tourism. Presently, townships north,south and west of Central Frontenac allow such use and I would suggest tourism in these areas has benefited substantially.One only has to look at the number of ATVs on trailers traveling north on Hwy 41 to confirm this suggestion.I believe the Town of Madoc also promotes itself on the ATV Ontario website as a tourist destination for ATVs.If council permits theuse of Central Frontenac roads but restricts ATVs from accessing Hwy 38 and the Village of Sharbot Lake, then effectively council cuts the Eastern Ontario Trail in two (as it passes through town) and the ATVers I saw staying at the hotel in town would be in violation of the law as they have to pass through town and travel a short distance on Hwy 38 to access the hotel(I recently saw 8-10 ATVs parked in front of thehotel for what I can only presume was an overnight stay).

I would suggest that Gail Burgess allow some credit to the responsibility of ATV riders and their respect for the law.I certainly agree that ATVs will compete with vehicles for the right-of-way with larger vehicles.Thishappens today when two vehicles meet; however,I fail to see how the ATV will be any different.I also agree that ATVs don't have many built in safety features.Neither do motorcycles, yet they are not restricted from any road access. Not wearing helmets is a responsibility issue similar to thewearing of seat belts.I believe enforcement statisticsindicate that in many provinces/areas, 10% or moreof the drivers of cars and trucks still refuse towear seatbelts or fail todo so all the time.Using Gail Burgess' argument against ATVs because some riders don't wear helmets is synonymous withprohibiting private vehicles from using thesesame roads because some drivers don't wearseatbelts or drive too fast. Again, using her same argument for enforcement, this prohibition against vehicles should be put in place immediately because we cannot expect police to be always available to do trafficenforcement, nor should we.

Owner responsibility should not be confusedwith safety.The majority of ATV riders, like car drivers, areresponsible- they wear helmets and visible clothing (traffic vests) and they respect the law.There are also those that break the law (fail to wear helmets / drive too fast) similar to manycar drivers. However, unlike car drivers,such irresponsiblebehavior usually results ininjury or death to the rider - not toinnocent pedestrians orpassengers,as isusually the case withirresponsible car or truck drivers.

Finally, in terms of noise, the majority of ATVs are stock and contain mufflers designed to eliminate high decibel noise.The majority of ATV riders don't modify their muffler systems. Most motorcyclists or car/truck owners don't modify their exhaust systems either.Noise from any vehicle is annoyingand that is part of traffic enforcement - not general prohibition against the vehicle itself.

It is time that municipalities gave respect to ATVs, their owners (many whom are your neighbours and friends) and the fact that the Government of Ontario has seen fit to pass laws allowing use of ATVs on provincial highways and roads in general. Municipalities should also consider thetourismbenefits that legalizing ATV use would provide. Brian Hilton[ back to top ]

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Feature Article - July 20, 2006

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Feature Article - July 20, 2006

Negotiator weighs in on AAFNA actions

by Jeff Green

Robert Potts, the chief negotiator for the Algonquin side in the current land claims process, has called the recent activities of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation (AAFNA) “counter productive and inconsistent with the interests of the Algonquins of Ontario in our collective efforts to find a comprehensive solution to our long standing grievances.”

As reported in last week’s Frontenac News, AAFNA has been engaged clearing a piece of land near Pine Lake on the Ardoch Road in North Frontenac Township . They are planning to build a community centre and Pow Wow grounds on the land.

The land, which is administered as Crown land by the federal and provincial governments, is currently available to the public as a boat launch, and will remain so, AAFNA assures.

While Potts called AAFNA’s actions into question, he stopped short of saying those actions are inconsistent with Algonquin rights.

“The position advanced by the Algonquins of Ontario since negotiations began in 1991 is that all of the land in Ontario within the watersheds of the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers are unceded Algonquin Territory , subject to Aboriginal rights and title. This includes the so-called “ Crown Land ” in question near Ardoch” Potts said in media statement dated July 17th.

AAFNA has chosen not to participate in the land claims process currently being undertaken by the Algonquin Negotiation Team that is led by Potts, a lawyer from Toronto who specialises in land claims negotiations. The Negotiation Team is comprised of nine Algonquin Negotiation Representatives (including one representing Ardoch and one representing Sharbot Lake ) and the chief and band council from the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation of Golden Lake.

According to Robert Potts “AAFNA is comprised of some persons who have chosen not to participate in the ongoing Algonquin treaty negotiation although we are told that most of its members are of Algonquin ancestry and were eligible to participate in Algonquin Negotiation Representative elections.”

Potts statement concludes in a more conciliatory manner,

“While the Algonquin Negotiation Team therefore expresses its support for the use of Algonquin Land for Algonquin cultural purposes, at the same time, it urges AAFNA to continue to take a respectful and co-operative approach to the assertion and recognition of all Algonquin rights.”

For its part, AAFNA have little good to say about the land claim process as it has been carried out by Potts and the Algonquin Negotiation Team. On July 4, AAFNA communications officer and co-chief Robert Lovelace wrote, “The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation is not a participant in the Algonquins of Golden Lake Land Claim and dismisses it as corrupt and ill-conceived.”

Last week, MNR officials went to the Pine Lake site. They observed the clearing that had been done on the site, and subsequently a phone call took place between an MNR official and an AAFNA representative.

Barry Radford, a communications officer with the MNR said that the MNR official “had a cordial discussion with them, and both sides understand each other’s position. Our position is that this is Crown land, and we encouraged AAFNA to seek a land use permit, which is our requirement under the public lands act.”

Robert Lovelace reiterated to the News that AAFNA does not intend to seek a land use permit from the MNR.

Lovelace did say that AAFNA is “encouraged by the cordiality of our relations with the MNR thus far, and we are hoping that we can set up a face-to-face meeting in the near future”.

When asked what the MNR might do if AAFNA goes ahead with their building plans without seeking a permit, Barry Radford said he “does not want to speculate on what will or will not happen.”

Radford did offer that “it would preferable if they would return to the negotiation table for the Algonquin land Claim. That is where issues of land are being handled.”

In the meantime, AAFNA members spent a second weekend on the site, pulling stumps and removing more trees. They are hoping to finish clearing the site and start bringing in gravel to level it out in the coming weeks.

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Ardoch Algonquins level ground at Pine Lake for community centre and PowWow grounds

by JeffGreen

Last Friday, the early morning quiet at Pine Lake was disturbed when a transport trailer backed carefully off of the Ardoch Road onto a single-lane dirt road leading to a Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) boat launch. The transport trailer dropped off a yellow bulldozer, and for the rest of the morning chainsaws buzzed through small and larger trees, clearing sites on both sides of the road as the bulldozer pushed fallen logs away.

The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation (AAFNA) had begun site preparation for a community centre and Pow Wow grounds. The land they are using is what they call “ Algonquin Land ”. The Ontario ministry of Natural Resources calls the land “ Crown Land ” and is responsible for the administration of such lands.

Members of AAFNA met with MNR officials at the site two weeks earlier, on June 27th.

According to an AAFNA press statement by Robert Lovelace, co-chief and communication team leader for AAFNA, the “MNR requested that we apply for permission to construct the Algonquin Cultural Centre on Crown Land . Band council members explained that the land for the proposed building was Algonquin Land , protected for them by the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Band council members suggested that if Ontario or Canada had a ‘bill of sale’ or a treaty that conveyed the land to the Crown then they would follow the suggested requirements.”

The news attempted to contact the MNR officials who were present at the June 27th meeting, but our enquiry was referred to Barry Radford, an MNR communications officer from Toronto .

Radford said that the MNR has been informed that work has begun at the site, but would only say, “I can’t speculate on what the MNR’s next steps will be. The situation is fairly sensitive and rather complicated.”

Radford said he was aware of the June meeting but did not know what was said by either side.

He did say, “ Ontario considers that the land at issue is Crown Land , and we are the agency that administers Crown Land . We have a set process, requiring a land use permit before land can be developed in any way. We review several matters, including public safety before a Land Use Permit is issued.”

As to when the MNR might act on the matter, Radford said, “Again, I wouldn’t speculate on that.”

North Frontenac Township was informed on June 8th that AAFNA was panning to begin site preparation on “Algonquin” or “Crown” Land. At a council meeting on June 22nd, Mayor Maguire was appointed as the liaison between the township and AAFNA. At the same meeting, council passed a four-point motion outlining, in general terms, their position as regards the issue.

The resolution states that: 1. Land ownership is unclear; 2. There are members of the community with apparently unresolved land claims; 3. Council encourages the resolution of the issue (and offers to facilitate); and 4. Council is sympathetic with the situation.

Maguire, along with Deputy Mayor Gleva Lemke and Councillor Bud Clayton, attended an AAFNA meeting in Ardoch on June 24th. After the meeting they were brought to the Pine Lake site.

“They showed us the entire point of land,” Maguire recalls, “and they told us that they were always going to make the cottagers feel welcome and would maintain public access to the boat launch.”

Now that site preparation has been undertaken, Maguire says that he “does not condone what they are doing. At the same time I know what it means to them.”

AAFNA sent out a letter to all residents on Pine Lake on the day they began clearing the site, enlisting their support for their project. The letter reads, in part, “It is our hope that our neighbours on Pine Lake will welcome the development of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation Cultural Centre.”

(For more on this story, see If a Tree Falls.

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

High prices spark uranium exploration in Clarendon

by JeffGreen

A company called Frontenac Venture Corporation, which holds historical mining leases for uranium exploration on property near the Ardoch Road west of Crotch Lake , have recently staked land to the southwest and northeast of their original holdings.

John McCance, the President of the South Ontario Prospectors Association, keeps an eye on exploration activity in the region from his base in Kingston . In an interview with the News he said it was his understanding that the Frontenac Venture Corporation is a private company that includes people from the original family that staked uranium claims in the area at least 30 years ago.

“I was at a prospectors’ meeting back in March,” McCance said, “and the amount of interest in uranium was simply astounding. World-wide uranium exploration is picking up, and I would expect that Frontenac Venture Corporation will be doing geological studies this summer to see if their claim is viable.”

The new mining claims, which are located where the former Olden and Oso Townships intersect with the former Palmerston Township , are mostly located on Crown land.

Again, according to John McCance, the holders of the claim are undoubtedly aware that the claim falls within the Algonquin Land Claim territory, and if the claims, which are preliminary at this point, extend to an advanced stage, they would enter into a dialogue with Algonquin representatives.

“As far as I have heard at land claim meetings, extraction rights have not been considered in the claim, but that might change,” McCance said.

A study was published in 2000 by the Geological Survey of Canada on uranium deposits in the so-called Frontenac Axis of the Canadian Shield . The study says that the rock formations are distinctive enough to warrant being referred to as the “Frontenac Type”. The report includes information from Oso district, as well as Olden, Maberly, Silver Lake , and North Crosby .

Historically, uranium extraction in Ontario has been centred around Elliott Lake and in the Bancroft area, and there has never been any extraction in Frontenac County or its vicinity.

Future uranium mining in Elliott Lake is unlikely, according to McCance, but there has been lots of interest in the Bancroft area in recent months.

“Everything in Bancroft has been staked,” McCance said, “and this was all happening even before the Province of Ontario announced they will be switching from coal to nuclear.”

The fact that uranium is being prospected in this area does not necessary mean that a mine will ever be established. Ninety-nine percent of mining claims do not proceed to the extraction stage, and establishing a uranium mine anywhere in South eastern Ontario would be highly controversial, considering the inherent danger of the mineral itself.

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Letters to theEditor

Regarding the Algonquin Land ClaimThese letters were referenced in the July 27, 2006 edition of the Frontenac News, but due to space constraints we were unable to publish them in our newspaper. Please find them here for your interest.

Re: Letters to the editor by David Bate and Robert Lovelace

Mr. Bate informed the readers that “we have never been conquered by military action.” We believe the Algonquins were defeated in war and lost their lands in the Iroquois (or Beaver) Wars of the 1640’s and 1650’s.

The Iroquois wanted to get control of the fur trade routes in Southern Ontario . They wanted furs to trade for needles, cloth, kettles, knives, hatchets, blankets, muskets, powder, ball, and shot from the Dutch and subsequently the English at New York. All of these items were European made and highly desirable. They attacked and slaughtered the Hurons, Petun, Neutral, Nipissings, and the Algonquins.

Those few Hurons, Petun, and Neutrals that survived, were assimilated by the Iroquois. Others became refugees. Some fled north and west while others (Algonquin and Nipissing) fled to Quebec , settling in Trois Rivieres under the care of the French Government.

The Iroquois maintained military control of Southern Ontario until the late 1690’s when they were finally pushed out by the Ojibwas. Thus the Ojibwas (Mississaugas, Ottawas, and the Chippewas) came to occupy all of southern Ontario except for the area east of the Gananoque and Rideau Rivers.

The proclamation act did not give land to any particular Indian group nor did the act give land between the proclamation southern boundary line and the Ottawa River as outlined by the boundaries of the Algonquin Land Claim.

In fact, after the British defeated the French in 1759-60 in Canada , the Proclamation Act in 1763 was passed, resulting in the formation of the Government of Quebec.

The act stated “And We do further declare it our Royal Will and Pleasure, for the present as aforesaid, to reserve under our Sovereignty, Protection, and Dominion, for the use of the said Indian, all the lands and Territories not included within the Limits of Our said Three new Governments.”

The southern boundary of the Government of Quebec was described as “to the South end of the Lake Nipissim ; from whence the said Line, crossing the River St. Lawrence ..” Note that this southern boundary was not the Ottawa River it was south of the Ottawa River . The “Government of Quebec” at the time included both sides of the Ottawa River .

After the proclamation Act was passed, three conflicting claims of ownership to the land south of this line emerged.

The Iroquois claimed all the land in Ontario as far north as the Ottawa River by “right of conquest.”

The Ojibwas made claim by conquest over the Iroquois all of Southern Ontario west of the Rideau and Gananoque Rivers .

The Algonquins claimed ownership and have appealed to the government of the day since 1772.

When the Crown needed land for settlement in Ontario , however, they negotiated with the Ojibwas (Mississaugas) who occupying the land and who had claimed it by right of conquest over the Iroquois. The Treaty that affected North Frontenac was Treaty 27 May 31, 1819 and Treaty 27 , November 28, 1822. These treaties included the townships of Barrie , Clarendon, Palmerston, Millar, South Canonto, and part affected by this surrender included Renfrew, Carlton , Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, and Hastings . The total area surrendered was some 2,748,000 acres “more or less.”

The government of the day obviously did not recognize any Algonquin claim.

In 1991, the Governments of Ontario and Canada determined that the Algonquins’ claim should be considered. At the present time, the negotiators for the Algonquin First Nation, Ontario , and Canada are working hard to come to an Agreement in Principle. Also at the present time, all Crown or Public land is owned by our Governments of Ontario and Canada and is subject to the laws of Ontario and Canada .

Breaking the law does not help your cause, BBQs are not going to gain you public support or sympathy for your cause. You have failed to convince the public that your actions, in destroying the environment on Pine Lake , were justified. The Land Claim negotiating process is well underway. Why are you not involved in the process?

If the Canadian Government, which really is the citizens of Canada , owns the Crown Land , how can you say that this is a Canadian Land Claim. After all, are you not simply asking for consideration and compensation for land that you used to “own” and lost militarily? This would then make it, an Algonquin Land Claim.

Did the various ethnic groups who settled in the area remain as separate communities or didn’t they assimilate over time?

Don’t all citizens in this area, regardless of ethnic background, have equal access to schools, health care, economic opportunities, freedom of speech, association, and worship?

We cannot rewrite history. Those of us who are of Irish and Scottish ancestry in this area could complain about historic maltreatment and even genocide by the British under these same Articles of the United Nations Genocide Convention?

What is a “genetic non-Indian”? If a person has some aboriginal ancestry does that make that person a genetic Indian?

What is meant by “blood quantum”? What fraction of aboriginal ancestry must a person have to qualify as an Algonquin? How can a person ignore the other part of their ancestry? After all, if a person is 1/16 Algonquin, then that person is 15/16 something else.

Can a person having no Algonquin ancestry be considered Algonquin and receive the rights and privileges of being an Algonquin? Would that person also be part of the compensation package in any settlement?

Finally, we all want to be treated fairly. We all want to see that compensation be provided, if compensation is justified.

We all want a land claim settlement with all members of all communities as well as all members of the Algonquin communities involved and satisfied with the outcome. We all want finality and closure. How can there be a settlement, finality, and closure if your particular community is not at the negotiating table participating in the process? This process has gone on long enough. We do not want a group like yours, coming back making demands on the rest of Canada , after an agreement has been signed and accepted by the other Algonquin communities. Why is your group not at the table?

- Ron Pethick

Understanding the Algonquin Land Claim

Understanding the Algonquin Land Claim is not easy. To understand the complexities of “the claim” it is important to consider history, legal and policy issues, economics and politics. It is also important to consider Algonquin culture and values. The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation has prepared a series of articles for the summer issues of the Frontenac News to provide readers with a basic understanding of the issues.

Algonquins have occupied the Ottawa River watershed and surrounding territory since time immemorial. Algonquins do not know of a time when, as a people, they lived somewhere else. This is the Algonquin homeland, tanakin Ominin There is no other place in the world where an Algonquin can find his or her roots. Since time immemorial Algonquins summered along the Great Ottawa River, KijZ trading with neighbouring peoples; the Odawa, Huron, Montagnais, Innu, Mi’kmaq and Iroquois. They wintered in family hunting territories, ascending the rivers that flow into the Ottawa and dispersing along the lakes and creeks of the backlands. Early European explorers called the Algonquins nomadic. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Algonquins used their intelligence and knowledge of the land to secure a healthy and prosperous livelihood. They harvested over 250 plant species for food and medicine. They hunted and fished in an ecologically balanced fashion and preserved an abundance of game and fish for themselves and future generations. For Algonquins there was no sense of “wilderness”. The whole of the Ottawa watershed was their home. European settlers criticised the Algonquins for not employing agriculture to produce crops. Algonquins were horticulturists; creating and sustaining a productive environment through controlled burning and replanting, selective harvesting, and succession engineering. The science of the Algonquins was far superior to the rudimentary plough methods that emerged in feudal Europe .

Algonquins made first contact with Europeans sometime in the mid 16th century. Some Algonquin traders may well have met Jacques Cartier but more certainly many were witness to the free-enterprisers, who reported to no Monarch, and had preceded Cartier in the St Lawrence by decades. The privateers dominated European trade in the St. Lawrence until the arrival of Samuel Champlain in 1606 at what is now Quebec City . Champlain asserted French authority in the St. Lawrence region with regular visits by French gunships. The affect of European trade during the 60 or so years between Cartier and Champlain were devastating for the Aboriginal peoples of the region. Disease, warfare, alcoholism and the destruction of the environment had drastically reduced the Aboriginal population of the St Lawrence lowlands. When Champlain arrived he had two purposes; he would colonise the devastated environment of the St. Lawrence, replacing the dwindling Aboriginal population with French peasants, and secure trade with the westerly Algonquins and Huron.

Champlain’s royally sanctioned intervention into the western fur trade resulted in a continuation of destructive consequences. Champlain initiated an arms race between the Algonquins and Mohawks, introducing fire arms for the first time. Soon the entire eastern woodland peoples were in mortal combat to secure furs and profits for the French, Dutch or English. Champlain’s legacy, known as the Beaver Wars, lasted for nearly a century leaving the Algonquins a diminished people. Along with warfare, diseases took the oldest and the youngest, at once robbing the people of their knowledge keepers and the strength of the next generation’s work force. For all of the destruction wrought by Champlain’s pioneer vision, the Ottawa Valley remained Indian country. The “ups” and more often the “downs” of the French economy left Champlain’s “volunteers” in a permanent state of crushing poverty and unable to develop as a viable population beyond the original settlement areas. More often than not the futile life of the “habitant” was traded for the free and healthier life of the Indians in the woods.

Champlain’s dream of New France ended with the fall of Quebec City to the English in 1759. Four years later, in 1763, King George II, issued a Royal Proclamation that intended to establish a fresh start and contain the growing separatism among American colonists. First of all, the Proclamation of 1763 established the colony of Quebec , which is the legislative and legal fore-runner of modern day Canada . In addition, the Proclamation attempted to establish a loyal aristocracy and citizenry in the American colonies by providing British military officers and soldiers with land grants as incentives to stay and make homes in the colonies. Thirdly, the Proclamation recognised the nation-to-nation relationship that the Crown has with the indigenous peoples of North America and acknowledged the Aboriginal title of their homelands. Furthermore the Crown established for itself a duty to protect Aboriginal people and their lands from encroachment and exploitation. The Proclamation is clear in stating that the Crown is honour bound in its relations with Aboriginal peoples. Interestingly, the Proclamation also imposed the right of extradition of British felons when they fled to the protection of “Indian lands”. While this imposition is arbitrary it assumes all other civil jurisdiction of Aboriginal nations was in place. The Proclamation also stipulated that individuals trading with Indians were required to obtain a licence and subject to tax. No such stipulation was imposed on Indians. King George’s vision of an American Camelot, loyal to the Crown, economically productive, free of costly wars and at peace with its Indian neighbours was embodied in the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Thirteen years later, thirteen American colonies would declare their independence from the Crown, leaving Quebec and Nova Scotia the only British colonies in North America .

In 1800, 206 years ago, there was not a town, road, damn or farm in the Ottawa Valley . The language was mininowin. Even the few English and French in the valley spoke the native language. The Algonquin population had rebounded and rebuilt its traditional presence in the Valley. Since the American Revolution the British had come north as loyalists to settle the area along the St Lawrence and the shore of Lake Ontario . Iroquois Loyalists were among these immigrants. In order to clear Aboriginal title for these newcomers the Crown purchased title from the Mississaugas through the Crawford Purchase (1783) and the Rideau Purchase (1819). In doing so the Crown included some Algonquin Land but excluded Algonquins from negotiations or compensation. This oversight would become the main point of a hundred years of formal grievances directed to the Crown by Algonquin chiefs. In 1820, Philemon Wright reported to the Legislature of Upper Canada how he had come to secure the protection and cooperation of Algonquins along the Ottawa River in 1800. Wright described a Treaty of Peace and Friendship that had been negotiated at what is now Hull , Quebec , across the River from the present day Parliament buildings of Canada . The Treaty clearly permitted Wright the use of a small portion of land for the development of a mill, farms and village. In return Wright was extended Algonquin citizenship and agreed to protect Algonquin resources, lands and titles. He recognised the needs of the Algonquin people to sustain themselves on the land. He agreed not to interfere with their economic activities and offered them fair compensation when he did. Embodied in this Treaty is an agreement of mutual recognition, mutual respect and shared benefits. While the intentions of the Wright/Algonquin Treaty were honourable and local, the development of Philemon Wright’s mill at the Chaudier Falls initiated the environmental destruction of the entire Ottawa Valley .

Three waves of European immigration took place in Upper and Lower Canada after the defeat of the French at Quebec in 1759. The first immigrants were American mercantilists who took over the failed economy of New France . As the Fur Trade had shifted its focus toward the North West and James Bay , these mercantilists concentrated their interests on the exploitation of pine forests and the production of potash. Potash is used in the manufacture of soap and other industrial products and is produced by rendering entire woodlands to ash. The potash and white pine timber was exported to England and Scotland and were returned to Canada as manufactured products. Following the American Revolution, Loyalists with capital, servants, slaves, stock and equipment followed the American mercantilists and began to convert the fertile land of the north shore of the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario to agricultural use. Throughout this time Algonquins were loyal allies to the British Crown and provided protection and assistance to the newcomers. However, as early as the late 18th century, Algonquin chiefs observed to Crown representatives the destruction of the environment that followed European settlement. As settlers converted indigenous environments to European landscapes entire ecosystems collapsed diminishing the diversity of both plant and animal species.

European exploitation and settlement of the Ottawa Valley took place after 1800. Within a generation of the establishment of Philemon Wright’s mill the best of the tall pines were being cut and floated down the Rideau, Mississippi and Madawaska Rivers . The immigrants who came to the Ottawa Valley were not the cultured merchants or Loyalists who were now developing civil governance for Canada but the rude, backward, poverty stricken Scots and Irish peasants, fresh off the boat. The critical convergence of these desperate immigrants and the opening of the Valley for settlement spelled the destruction of the environment and the Algonquin way of life. Within a hundred years no forests of real value existed. The soil of marginal farms had been eroded and deposited in the swamps and lakes. Surface mines that offered short term gains were exhausted leaving the toxic tailings for other generations to clean up. The settler population in the backlands of the Ottawa Valley in 1900 was 4 times greater than it is today but with the environment so over exploited and devastated the economy collapsed and most people got up and left. The Algonquins stayed close to their homeland and struggled to survive on the devastated land.

Archived records show that Algonquin people suffered the loss of subsistence occupations and were the targets of racism and economic marginalization. Algonquins were not permitted to own land and when indifferent governments permitted Indian settlement they failed to provide protection. This was clearly the case in Bedford , Oso and South Sherbrooke townships where Chief Shapenes(Sothernbird) was given a licence of occupation of 2000 acres in 1844. This was the first Algonquin reserve to be set aside in Ontario or Quebec . With a dream of establishing a sustainable community for ninety or so Algonquins, Shapenespetitioned for the protection by the Crown. Within a year, loggers from Perth invaded the reserved lands, raping the women and beating the men. When Shapenescomplained to the Crown he was told that the land had been reserved for his people, but the trees had not. When he begged the Commander of the Garrison at Perth to protect his people he was told that it was not in the interest of the Army to protect Indians but should the Algonquins harm the loggers the Army would certainly come to the area. The politics of the 19th century were confusing for Algonquins. They had begun the century as important military and political allies with a viable economy and growing population; by 1844 they were being treated as vagrants in their own land. It is important to note that in the year that Shapeneswas petitioning the Crown for a licence to occupy a limited tract of Algonquin land that Queen’s University opened its doors to the sons of Loyalist immigrants and the walls around Kingston Penitentiary were completed to hold the most unruly sons and daughters of the Scots/Irish immigrants. What is absolutely clear is that the Crown failed in its obligation to secure for itself, Algonquin title. The lands that the Crown had permitted to be occupied by European immigrants, was never acquired by a purchase or treaty. The construction of Canada ’s foundations was underway but Algonquins were ignored and their previous contributions were forgotten. While the Crown negotiated with many other Aboriginal people in Ontario , more than twenty treaties in keeping with the mandate of the Proclamation of 1763, it failed to resolve clear title to the Ottawa Valley . No amount of ignorance, racism, dominance, paternalism, violence or political blindness can change the fact that Algonquins have retained Aboriginal rights and title to their homeland in the Valley.

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