Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ ("Gichi-namegosib ininiwag"); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ ("Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag"); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ), also known as Big Trout Lake First Nation or KI for short, is a First Nations community in Northwestern Ontario. Part of Treaty 9 (James Bay), Kitchenuhmaykoosib is located at coord|53|49|01|N|89|52|30|W|region:CA-ON|display=inline,title. The community is about 580 km (360 mi) north of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The First Nation's land-base is a 29,937.6 ha (73,976.38 acre) Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki 84 Reserve, located on the north shore of Big Trout Lake (Ontario). Big Trout Lake is a fly-in community, accessible by air, and winter road in the colder months.

Background

The population of Big Trout Lake was 1,322 residents in January 2007, making it one of the largest First Nations communities in the region.

The current band chief is Donald Ian "Donnie" Morris and deputy chief is Jackie Mckay. Current band councillors are Head Councillor Cecelia Begg and Councillors John Cutfeet, Enos Mckay, Samuel Mckay, Evelyn Quequish and Darryl Sainnawap.

Languages spoken: Oji-Cree ("Anishininiimowin"), English

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug is within the boundaries of the territory described by the 1929-30 Adhesion to the James Bay Treaty of 1905 - Treaty 9. Full reserve status was granted to Big Trout Lake in 1976.

Marion Anderson, who became a band councillor for Big Trout Lake in 1950, was the first woman ever to serve as a First Nations band councillor in Ontario. She was later awarded the Order of Ontario in honour of this distinction.

Recent events

The KI was sued by Platinex Inc. over an interim order preventing Platinex from exploring. The decision was released May 22, 2007. The court issued 3 orders: a Consultation protocol; a timetable; and an MOU on the KI, Platinex, and Ontario. The Ontario Superior Court held that appropriate consultation funding was necessary, and that the Court would continue to supervise and facilitate the consultation process. The KI's position had been that "the serious imbalance between the fiscal position(s) of the parties renders the consultation process unfair." No specific finding on funding levels was made, but adequacy of funding was found to be assessable in the consultation process. Implications for other consultation processes remain uncertain. [http://www.blakes.com/english/legal_updates/aboriginal_law/may_2007/Platinex.pdf Platinex suite]

In 2008, six leaders of the community (Chief Donny Morris, Jack McKay, Sam McKay, Darryl Sainnawap, Cecilia Begg and Bruce Sakakeep) were imprisoned for protesting development on their traditional land by Platinex Inc.. A sacred fire was consecrated in front of the Thunder Bay jail where they were being held, which was extinguished by police on 19 March, 2008. First Nations have spoken out about this alleged violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and suppression of traditional ceremony [ [http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=30914| Police extinguish sacred fire in Thunder Bay] , "SooToday.com", 20 March 2008.] Several members of KI and surrounding nations protested their leaders' imprisonment by walking all the way from Kenora, Ontario to Toronto. The leaders were given temporary parole to appear at the protest at Queen's Park on May 26, and were permanently freed by the Ontario Court of Appeal two days later.

References

External links

* [http://www.bigtroutlake.firstnation.ca/ Official Website]
* [http://sdiprod2.inac.gc.ca/fnprofiles/FNProfiles_DETAILS.asp?BAND_NUMBER=209 INAC profile]
* [http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/abdt/apps/connectivitysurvey.nsf/vAllCProfile_en/483.html Aboriginal Canada Portal profile of the First Nation]