Ardoch Algonquin is a non-status

Algonquin Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to: Languages and peoples *Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia **Algonquin la ...

(

Anishinaabe The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawatomi, ...

) community that is located around the Madawaska,

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

and Rideau

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

s, north of

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is midway between Toro ...

. The Ardoch Algonquin community is a member of the Indigenous Services Circle of the Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington Children and Youth Planning Committee, together with the city of Kingston, Queen's University and the

Métis Nation of Ontario The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is an organization for people who self-identify as Métis in Ontario. It consists of representatives at the provincial and local levels. History of mixed Indigenous and European people in Ontario Mixed Indi ...

. As non-status Indians (not recognized as an Indian Band by the federal Indian Act or any provincial government) Ardoch members are sometimes involved in intra-community politics.

History

In 1844, land was reserved for their use at Bobs Lake, but it was destroyed by

illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a pro ...

and later subject to settlement. In the 1930s, the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...

set up a reserve at

Golden Lake Golden Lake is a body of water located in Renfrew County Ontario, located on the Bonnechere River approximately 25 km (15 miles) southwest of Pembroke, Ontario. It is bounded by the Township of North Algona-Wilberforce, the Township of B ...

and gave status to those living there (Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation). Ardoch Algonquins were encouraged to abandon their lands, and move to Golden Lake. In the summer of 1981, the Ardoch Algonquin blockaded a commercial rice-harvesting venture to protect what they saw as their territory and their ''manoomin'' (

wild rice Wild rice, also called manoomin, Canada rice, Indian rice, or water oats, is any of four species of grasses that form the genus ''Zizania'', and the grain that can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both ...

) which grows in the

Mississippi river The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

nearby. At the end of August, the community was raided by the police, and many protesters were arrested. Although the blockade ended, the rice-harvesting venture stopped, and no further attempts to claim it have been made. More recently, Ardoch Algonquin and Shabot Obaadjiwan blocked access to a prospective

uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...

mining site, near

Sharbot Lake, Ontario Sharbot Lake is a suburban community and unincorporated area in the municipality of Central Frontenac, Frontenac County in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Named after the Sharbot family, who were local residents, it appeared in Lovell's Gazetteer in 187 ...

, on traditional Ardoch territory.Algonquin co-chief to stop her uranium protest to avoid jail
/ref> Frontenac Ventures Corporation, the company which wishes to do uranium drilling tests, sought injunctions against the leaders of the protest. A

Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; french: Cour suprême du Canada, CSC) is the Supreme court, highest court in the Court system of Canada, judicial system of Canada. It comprises List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, nine justices, wh ...

ruling insists that provincial governments are legally obliged to consult with First Nations communities prior to any economic activity on land they have claimed, the Ontario Provincial Government began negotiations with Frontenac Ventures. In February, 2008, Justice Douglas Cunningham sentenced Ardoch Algonquin co-chiefs Paula Sherman and Robert Lovelace to six month terms in prison for

contempt of court Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the cour ...

, but Sherman, a single mother of three, agreed to obey the injunctions to avoid prison time. Lovelace, a non-indigenous person who immigrated to Canada in the 1960s, is father of seven, and an instructor at Queen's University and Sir Sandford Fleming Community College. The court also fined him $25,000 and fined the community an additional $10,000. Sherman, a professor at

Trent University Trent University is a public liberal arts university in Peterborough, Ontario, with a satellite campus in Oshawa, which serves the Regional Municipality of Durham. Trent is known for its Oxbridge college system and small class sizes.

was fined $15 000, payable to Frontenac Ventures. Currently the injunction restricts the Algonquin and non-native

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

s from approaching the site closer than 200 metres; this has not, however, discouraged

protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

s in surrounding communities. In June, 2008 the Ontario Court of Appeal overturned Justice Cunningham's decision and ordered Lovelace immediately released. The Court of Appeal noted that the conflict between the Ardoch people and Frontenac Ventures could have been avoided if the Government of Ontario had consulted with the them before approving uranium exploration in the area. On March 18, 2008 Shabot Obaadjiwan Chief Doreen Davis and Elder Earl Bedore were required to enter into an undertaking "to discourage other members of their community and other organizations from interfering" with Frontenac Ventures' operations. In addition to the charges of contempt, Frontenac Ventures is suing the Ardoch Algoquin First Nation for $77 million. On March 18, 2008, contempt charges were dropped "without costs" against three non-native activists: Frank Morrison and Christian Peacemakers David Milne and Reverend John Hudson. They had been charged with violating the same injunction as Lovelace and Sherman, but the Ontario Crown declined to prosecute. During the same proceedings, however, warrants were obtained for the arrest of five other non-native activists who allegedly violated the injunction. In early 2011, Robert Lovelace was involved in a number of protests against the development of Kanata's South March Highlands, including Beaver Pond Forest, on the western edge of

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

.Kanata forest protest moves to city

CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca. ...

References

External links

Ardoch Algonquin First Nations and Allies
Uranium Defens

{{authority control First Nations in Ontario Algonquin Non-Status Indians