Government of Canada provides funding to Garden River First Nation, Mississauga First Nation, and Thessalon First Nation to share Indigenous stories at Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, Dec. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Parks Canada is committed to empowering diverse voices to ensure their experiences and perspectives are better represented through the promotion and presentation of Indigenous cultures, histories and languages.

Today, Mr. Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors, and Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, announced $177,000 in funding for the Garden River First Nation, the Mississauga First Nation and the Thessalon First Nation for knowledge gathering projects related to sharing the Indigenous history of Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site to support the inclusion and representation of authentic Indigenous stories at the historic site.

Three separate contribution agreements provide support to each First Nation to gather research from National Archives, interviewing elders, and inventorying archaeological objects from the Fort St Joseph collection. The combination of this research will be shared with the site to bring First Nation voices to the forefront of visitor experiences at Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site.

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening relationships with Indigenous partners and providing avenues for Indigenous peoples to share their cultures, histories, and voices. Parks Canada administered places support presentations of diverse, wide-ranging, and sometimes complex perspectives, including the difficult periods of our past. This funding will support Parks Canada's commitment to ensuring that the history and voices of Indigenous peoples are incorporated in the programming and experiences at Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site.

By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster better understanding and open discussions on the histories, cultures, and realities of Canada's history. 

Quotes

"Fort St. Joseph symbolizes the commercial and military alliance that existed between the British and the First Nation Peoples of the western Great Lakes region in the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War through the War of 1812. The site contains a remarkable assemblage of archaeological features which reveal part of the complex pattern of military, domestic and commercial life, both Indigenous and European. This funding will help ensure that the stories of local Indigenous communities are better presented to visitors of Fort St. Joseph."

Terry Sheehan,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors and Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie

"Mississauga First Nation sees the collaboration on this project as important. Mississauga history should be told by Mississauga people and our contributions to the Nation should be recognized as such. As an original signer to the Fort St. Joseph treaty, we are appreciative of the Fort St. Joseph staff to be working in a new collaborative approach to our Nation in sharing our story and history. We hope that this new approach will be an example of what could be accomplished in working with First Nations moving forward."

Chief Brent Niganobe
Mississauga First Nation

"I welcome the idea of working together with Garden River First Nation, Parks Canada, and Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site. I applaud Parks Canada and our local MPs for choosing to include First Nations in their discussions and events, as it is in line with the Truth and Reconciliation call to action #79. This particular 'call to action' challenges long standing institutions to develop a framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration, recognizing the contributions of Indigenous people to Canada's history."

Ogimaa (Chief) Karen Bell
Garden River First Nation

"On behalf of the members of Thessalon First Nation, we gratefully accept this partnership with Parks Canada to create meaningful dialogue with our knowledge keepers. It will hugely benefit our community by recognizing our traditional territories and the importance of the roles of our Indigenous veterans. We look forward to the truth and reconciliation efforts between government and our First Nation. Miigwech." 

Chief Joseph Wabigwan
Thessalon First Nation

Quick Facts

• These contribution agreements support the Truth and Reconciliation call to action 79.
• The contributions support the presentation of First Nation voices at Fort St. Joseph through visitor experience products such as exhibits, daily programing and outreach materials.
• Once the most westerly fort in Upper Canada, Fort St. Joseph is now a fascinating assemblage of historic ruins.
• From 1796 to just after the War of 1812, Fort St. Joseph, the most westerly British outpost in North America, was a thriving community of soldiers, fur traders, government officials and Indigenous people.

Related Links

• Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site
• Parks Canada
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
• Delivering on Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

Contacts: Hermine Landry, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 873-455-3714, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812, [email protected]