May 2000
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Algonquin Land ClaimsBy David Brison Ontario Algonquins are expected to begin negotiations over land claims with the provincial and federal governments in the very near future. Greg Sarazin, the Algonquin chief negotiator since 1991, is a member of the status Algonquins of Pikwakanagan and grew up on the Golden Lake (now referred to as Pikwakanagan) reserve near Eganville.
Sarazin will not only represent Pikwakanagan, the only reserve in Ontario, but other non-status groups throughout Ontario who lost their status when they refused to relocate to Golden Lake in the 1850s when that reserve was formed.
Two of the non-status groups are in North and Central Frontenac: the Sharbot Mishigama Anishinabe First Nation and the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation.
On April 20th, the Whig-Standard launched an excellent series of stories, written by Murray Hogben, on the history of the negotiations in the region. Hogben has also described some of the key people in our northern regions, such as Chief Doreen Davis of the Sharbot Mishigama, who grew up near Sharbot Lake; Chief Bob Crawford of the Ardoch group; Elders Harold Perry, 70, Clare Crawford, 67, and his brother Lyle Crawford, 71. The Crawford's great-grandmother was Cecilia Whiteduck who lived next to Perry's house in Ardoch. Lyle and Clare can both remember visiting her in Ardoch when they were very young children.
I would like to commend these articles to residents of the area who would like readable accounts of the history of these land claims and profiles of some of the key players. The profiles show the special relationship to the land of the Algonquins and how they view their Algonquin heritage.
The Algonquin negotiators have stressed that they aren't negotiating for privately owned land. In this area, they have designated for future development a section of land between Bobs and Crow Lake in the former Bedford Township. They also are interested in buying, with compensation funds, 200 surveyed lots near Silver Lake.
