Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway Nation
Encyclopedia
Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway Nation, formerly but still commonly—and incorrectly—known as the Dalles First Nation, is an Ojibwa
or Ontario Saulteaux
First Nation located in Kenora District, Ontario
near Sioux Narrows of Lake of the Woods
.
Total registered population in February, 2008, was 334, of which the on-reserve population was 127. A member of Treaty 3
, the First Nation is affiliated with Bimose Tribal Council and Kenora Chiefs Advisory.
s:
The grievance against Ontario Power Generation was a far bigger issue. Many years ago, again without notice or an effort to consult with the First Nation, what used to be called Ontario Hydro arbitrarily flooded over one thousand acres (4 km²) of reserve land and many more thousands of acres of traditional resource area by building the Whitedog Dam to provide electricity for sale by Ontario Hydro.
The detrimental affects of the flooding and water flow change resulted in a huge loss of culture for the area's First Nation people, including but not limited to the loss of cultural activities such as hunting, and rice harvesting.
Ontario Power Generation acknowledged liability by settling for an undisclosed amount. Also, unlike Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation officially apologized for the harm to the community during a visit to the community by Jake Epp, Chairman of the Board.
Legal grievances remain as a result of Canada's Federal Government giving Ontario Power Generation permission to reroute the Winnipeg River through the reserve via the relief channel blasted through the reserve.
A rock sacred to the people of Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining was also completely destroyed by explosives to clear way for the water channel.
The traditional 'Customary Council' system is the Nation's preferred method of governance. The Customary Council is where a respected head person or speaker from each of the family groups within the Nation is chosen and this group of head people are the ones who have decision making powers and dispute resolving responsibility. Chief and Council is a relatively new system of governance, and the current are supposed to be gradually phasing themselves out in favour of the Customary Council system.
49°54′31"N 94°33′32"W
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
or Ontario Saulteaux
Saulteaux
The Saulteaux are a First Nation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.-Ethnic classification:The Saulteaux are a branch of the Ojibwe nations. They are sometimes also called Anihšināpē . Saulteaux is a French term meaning "people of the rapids," referring to...
First Nation located in Kenora District, Ontario
Kenora District, Ontario
Kenora District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1907 from parts of Rainy River District. It is, geographically, the largest division in that province; at 407,192.66 km2 it comprises almost 38 percent of the province's land area...
near Sioux Narrows of Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
.
Total registered population in February, 2008, was 334, of which the on-reserve population was 127. A member of Treaty 3
Treaty 3
Treaty 3 was an agreement entered into on October 3, 1873, by the Ojibway Nation and Queen Victoria. The treaty ceded a vast tract of Ojibway territory, including large parts of what is now northwestern Ontario and a small part of eastern Manitoba, to the Government of Canada...
, the First Nation is affiliated with Bimose Tribal Council and Kenora Chiefs Advisory.
Reserves
The First Nation have reserved for themselves two reserveIndian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
s:
- 3257 ha The Dalles Indian Reserve 38C, which serves as their main Reserve, with the community of Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining, Ontario adjacent to it.
- 379 ha Agency Indian Reserve 30, which is shared with 12 other First Nations.
Grievances
The First Nation has recently settled two grievances against Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation. The grievance against Hydro One was started because the company arbitrarily cut down trees, and misappropriated land without making any effort to consult the First Nation to install huge steel electricity pylons across the reserve. Hydro One acknowledged liability (without an apology) by settling the claim for an undisclosed amount.The grievance against Ontario Power Generation was a far bigger issue. Many years ago, again without notice or an effort to consult with the First Nation, what used to be called Ontario Hydro arbitrarily flooded over one thousand acres (4 km²) of reserve land and many more thousands of acres of traditional resource area by building the Whitedog Dam to provide electricity for sale by Ontario Hydro.
The detrimental affects of the flooding and water flow change resulted in a huge loss of culture for the area's First Nation people, including but not limited to the loss of cultural activities such as hunting, and rice harvesting.
Ontario Power Generation acknowledged liability by settling for an undisclosed amount. Also, unlike Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation officially apologized for the harm to the community during a visit to the community by Jake Epp, Chairman of the Board.
Legal grievances remain as a result of Canada's Federal Government giving Ontario Power Generation permission to reroute the Winnipeg River through the reserve via the relief channel blasted through the reserve.
A rock sacred to the people of Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining was also completely destroyed by explosives to clear way for the water channel.
Governance
Through the Custom Electoral System, Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining elects a council for a two-year term consisting of a Chief and four Councillors. The current chief is Lorraine Cobiness. The four Councillors are Ernest Jameson, John Henry, Terry Greene and Tania Cameron (currently the NDP candidate for the Kenora Federal Riding).The traditional 'Customary Council' system is the Nation's preferred method of governance. The Customary Council is where a respected head person or speaker from each of the family groups within the Nation is chosen and this group of head people are the ones who have decision making powers and dispute resolving responsibility. Chief and Council is a relatively new system of governance, and the current are supposed to be gradually phasing themselves out in favour of the Customary Council system.
External links
49°54′31"N 94°33′32"W