Wahgoshig First Nation

The Wahgoshig First Nation, formerly known as Abitibi- Ontario Band of Abitibi Indians or Abitibi, is one of living in Canada ethnic groups. The First Nation consists mainly of Algonquian and Anishinabe, but also includes Cree to the community. The traditional territory of Wahgoshig extended on both sides of the border between Ontario and Quebec.

History

French fur traders in the 17th century, at the latest in 1683, before the English competitors in the vicinity of Lake Abitibi. A Sieur d' Argenteuil, a member of one of the most influential families, received a trade license. The trading post at Lake Abitibi, however, was visited only occasionally. 1707 noted a report that the Tabitibi their furs direction Hudson Bay brought, in order to sell at the English.

A report by the Hudson 's Bay Company from 1826 According to 68 trappers came regularly to their trading posts. In this case, the report cites a total of 242 men, women and children, some of whom were Cree. When the ' trading captain system was introduced, a hierarchy was established by the North in the egalitarian Algonquian first time, is unclear.

The Indians from the Lake Abitibi are first mentioned in a parliamentary debate of 1897. At that time they were a group of hunters and gatherers who took cyclic hikes in their traditional territory. She studied in annual cycles for fishing, trapping and hunting, but also for rituals and ceremonies on significant sites.

This area extended north and north-east toward Long Sault to Pierre, Harris and the Montreuil Lakes in Ontario, even up to Quebec, or more precisely to Amos. To the south, the traditional territory handed over to the Kirkland Lake in Ontario and beyond to Rouyn, Quebec. For example in Cochrane was the western boundary.

The reserve should occur in 1906 with Treaty 9, one of the Numbered Treaties, as the contracts are called in Canada, which were closed after the founding of the Indian peoples. This contract, also known as James Bay Treaty, was signed on 7 June 1906 in a post of the Hudson's Bay Company on Lake Abitibi. This 19,239 ha have been provided as a reserve. As their traditional territory was partly in Quebec, the provincial government, however, later denied recognition.

Only 1908 could reach the federal government that the province of Quebec, the Group formally included in Treaty 9 and a reserve awarded. To date, however, are the grants from the government among those who received the other Treaty -9 groups. The tribe recognized the living respectively in the other provincial members as members of the tribe. The Abitibi- Ontario or Wagoshig and the Abitibi belt Dominion ( Abitibiwinni ) signed in July 1908 contract in Abitibi Post, and thereby waived their rights in the other province.

1913 investigated the anthropologist Frank Speck in Timiskaming Reserve at Notre Dame du Nord on behalf of the National Museum of Canada. The local Indians reported that the Lake Abitibi Indians were linguistically and culturally to their group. They even called themselves anishnbek (plural of Anishinabe ), similar Ojibway, Mississauga, Ottawa and Potawatomi.

The construction of railways in the region of 1906-1912, ie, the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway North from the South and the National Transcontinental from the east, brought settlers, traders and prospectors into the country. This brought with them diseases and drastic cultural changes.

By 1972, in Quebec City was the Department of Indian Affairs is responsible for both the Abitibi- Dominion Band of Abitibi Indians in Quebec as well as for the Abitibi- Ontario Band of Abitibi Indians. Then took over the Ministry of Ontario, represented by Indian Affairs in Sudbury, the corresponding tasks for the Abitibi- Ontario band. 1979 changed the Abitibi- Dominion band changed its name to Abitibiwinni First Nation, while the group in Ontario henceforth called Wahgoshig First Nation.

In 2000, the Wahgoshig a sacred area, the Hospital Point fought together with the Assembly of First Nations successfully against logging on their traditional territory by Abitibi Consolidated Inc. at Lake Abitibi, has since been under protection. Similar negotiations took place in 2001 to 2004 the Queenston Mining Inc., Tom Exploration Inc., Falconbridge Inc., September Inc. ( August 2003), Abitibi Cons. (December 2003 ) and the Boulder Mining Inc. instead.

A separate company, the Wahgosik Anishinabek Mitik Inc. was founded.

Current Situation

Reserve

Your dependents live in Matheson in Cochrane District, which is located in northeastern Ontario. The reserve is a village located 25 hectares, which is about 101 Highway accessible. Humidity up to swampy areas in the west form habitats for large mammals such as elk, bear, but also birds such as grouse.

Election chief or Chief David Babin. The trunk is a member of the Wabun Tribal Council, Nishnawbe Aski Nation of a Council of Chiefs, which represents the majority of the tribes in northern Ontario. He is also a member of the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council Anishinabegs since November 2000.

Within the reserve there are 37 houses, recently did a tribal office (band office ) was added, an infirmary, a shop and a fire station and a warehouse that serves as a meeting house (community hall). A school bus runs on Matheson, a journey of one and a half hours. Vehicle and driver for the students of the High School in Iroquois Falls are provided by the First Nation. 2006, said the chief of the youth organizations of the province of the entrance to the reserve, since the strain harbored fears that the children would be alienated from the tribe, only to be brought up in non- Indians. The competent youth and family minister accepted this decision.

Demography

In the reserve lived in January 2008 121 of 270 tribal members in the comprehensive 7770.1 ha Abitibi 70 reserve on the south shore of Lake Abitibi, Ontario and Quebec separates. In February 2010, there were 280 people from the DOT recognized as members of the tribe, of which 126 lived on the reserve, 8 in other reserves and 142 outside.

Exploration and protection of the tribal territory

2007, the government sent about 1,400 energy Bargain numerous First Nations in Ontario.

2007, the tribe and the resource companies Apollo Gold Corporation agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding regarding begun in 2002 by the company Black Fox project. Here is the First Nations are involved in the discovery of gold made ​​in their field, and work with appropriate training are provided. Chief Negotiator for the Wahgoshig was Maurice J. Kistabish.

2007 to 2009, negotiations took place in connection with felling held with the First Nations of the region. It was about the Romeo Malette Forest management contingency plan and provided for Nighthawk 2008-2018 Forest Management Plan. In addition to the Wahgoshig were on the side of the Mattagami First Nations, the first, the Flying Post, Matachewan First Nation and the Taykwa Tagamou nation involved.

7 February 2009, agreement was reached with a gala Constantine Metal Resources Ltd.. on an exploration agreement, which the company received mining rights. It is about the gold projects Munro - Croesus (416 ha) and Four Corners ( 1040 ha). In the accompanying Impact Benefits Agreement to Wahgoshig and the company agreed on compensation and training or employment.

In November 2008, Leo Alarie & Sons founded a joint venture with the Wahgoshig First Nation under the name Wahgoshig Alarie Construction. They work together on the Black Fox project. Here are 30 employees members of the First Nation. They are employed at Apollo Gold with inclusion of the local mining activities further.

On June 14th and 15th 2009 David Babin took for the First Nation at a conference at Queen 's University on the issue of raw materials and the territories of the indigenous part ( First Nations Conference on Mineral Resources and Aboriginal Lands ).