Establishing a reserve for the Anicinabek, between 1853 and 1974, represents a territorial loss caused by all the following activities (fur trade, forestry, dams, settlement colonization, etc.). Under federal jurisdiction, the establishment of reserves is also one of the consequences of the Indian Act of 1876.

The residential school system specifically intended to assimilate First Nations children into the dominant society through year-round schooling given far from their parents. By forcing Anicinabe families to send their children to residential schools, by prohibiting the use of their mother tongue, and through the various abuses suffered in these institutions, the residential school system strongly contributed to the “cultural genocide” of the Anicinabek.

The dams, gradually built throughout the Anicinabe territory, were first used by the forestry industry to better control log driving. Later, dams were built to produce electricity. By creating huge reservoirs, they considerably modified the landscape, made navigation dangerous, and contaminated the waters. Territories are submerged and lost.

The creation of this park generates numerous constraints related to travel, campsites, and hunting and fishing activities within a 32 km strip of land along the road between Mont-Laurier and Senneterre. These restrictions only applied to the Anicinabek.

The discovery of mineral deposits, and the subsequent development of mines, have had a significant impact on Anicinabe territory. The exploited areas become unusable and forbidden to the Anicinabek, and the pollution generated by these activities is detrimental to sustaining traditional activities in most areas. Fifty mines were opened in Abitibi, between 1920 and 1950 alone.

Village schools provide education primarily in Canada’s official languages, English and French. The Anicinabe language is therefore disparaged.

The organization removes approximately 15 000 Indigenous geographical names in Quebec from official maps and plans. This contributes to erasing from official history the ancient presence of the Anicinabek on their territory.

The construction of the National Transcontinental Railway, which crosses the Abitibi region, enables settler-colonization and the forest industry to establish itself in this region.

Treaty No. 9 is first signed with the Abitibiwinnik whose hunting grounds are located on the Ontario side. Families on the Quebec side will later sign a similar agreement, which today is sometimes considered fraudulent. The treaty provided for the cession of the Abitibiwinni territory and the acquisition of a reserve on the Ontario side (Wahgoshig).

A source of income and employment at the end of the 19th century, this tourism brought groups of Americans and Europeans to Témiscamingue. Thereafter, large estates were granted to private clubs, without regard for the traditional Indigenous hunting territories, forcing them to leave their land or become guides for these new privileged occupants, since they know the territory intimately. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about twenty of these private clubs in the region. The most beautiful territories were then reserved for the wealthy, who allowed access only to their members. These private clubs were disbanded from 1977 onwards.

The police presence regarding the communities’ internal affairs gradually replaces the Anicinabe justice system.

The creation of parks, private clubs or other territories of restrictive use gradually divested the Anicinabek of their territories and the use they made of them. Hunting and fishing activities often become prohibited or limited.

Following various pressures coming from settlers and forestry companies, the Timiskaming reserve is divided into several portions which are sold. At this location, the territory reserved for the Anicinabek is greatly reduced.

Forest harvesting on a commercial basis has irreversibly impacted the territory used by the Anicinabek, in part through the loss of biodiversity, the decrease in game, but also because of log drives on rivers, which hindered canoeing and contaminated the water.

Settlement colonization deprived the Anicinabek access to a very important part of their territory. The land taken by settlers became private property and no compensation was offered, contrary to what was indicated in the Royal Proclamation of 1763. No treaties were signed (except for Treaty No. 9 for the Abitibiwinnik; a treaty considered problematic). The lands transferred to the settlers were all territories where traditional activities could no longer be carried out.

The Indian Act summarizes various measures undertaken in recent years to manage the so-called “Indian” populations, the (First Nations), as well as the lands reserved for them. The Inuit and Métis are excluded. The purpose of the Act is the assimilation of First Nations.

The purpose of this law is to gradually strip Indigenous people of their rights through various measures of assimilation.

As of 1867, the Indigenous populations were under the responsibility of the federal government.

The purpose of this law is to gradually remove the rights of Indigenous peoples through various assimilation measures.

This Act determines, for the first time ever, the requirements used to define who is considered an “Indian” in Quebec.

The arrival of the first missionaries becomes recurrent, gradually changing the Anicinabe way of viewing the world, spirituality and values. Spiritual authority shifts to people outside Anicinabe society. With the permanent settlement of missionaries and the construction of chapels on the territory, there is a more prominent presence of religious authority.

The establishment of numerous trading posts on the territory, since the 17th century, brought about changes to the Anicinabek culture. New products were introduced, and families had to devote more and more time to hunting fur-bearing animals to obtain them.

The Royal Proclamation of 1763, issued after the British conquest of Canada, provided some protection for Indigenous Peoples, but also determined how the government could acquire their lands for settlement.

1982

1956

1955

1954

1940

1927

Circa 1914

1912

1909-1913

1906-1908

Late 19th century

1896

1895

1894-1939

Circa 1889

1884

1876

1869

1867

1857

1850

1836

1788

1763