History

The Assabaska First Nations once inhabited the shorelines of the Lake of the Woods.  When these lands were lost, two reservations were formed by the inhabitants:  Big Grassy River First Nation located near Morson, and the Ojibways of Onegaming near Nestor Falls.

• 1873 Treaty #3 signed between Ojibway Nation and the British Crown.
• 1875 Treaty #3 Anishinaabeg choose Reserves.
• 1880 Survey of Little Grassy 35E and Big Grassy 35G and drawing of Shoreline 35E1 (1600 acres).
• 1888 Ontario/Manitoba Boundary confirmed. St. Catherine's Milling Co. court case gives Ontario Crown Land and natural resources within Treaty #3 (according to BNA Act, 1867)
• 1915 Ontario passes law confirming Reserves‰ acreage in Treaty #3, including Shoreline Reserve 35E1 Settlers petition for land on Big Grassy and 930 Shoreline.  Ontario pressures Canada to give up Reserve Land.
• 1931 Canada "relinquishes" shoreline 35E1 - no consultation with Assabaska (Big Grassy River and Onegaming), no Surrender Vote under Indian Act.
• 1927 Indian Act outlaws any Indian or Band
• 1951 Raising money or hiring legal counsel to fight land claims.
• 1958 Lake of the Woods Provincial Park established on Assabaska Shoreline Reserve Land.
• 1977 Grand Council Treaty #3 does research:  Chiefs of Big Grassy and Sabaskong (Onegaming) present Claim to Shoreline to Canada and Ontario.
• 1980 Canada and Ontario agree Claim is valid.
• 1981-1994 Governments of Canada, Ontario and Assabaska First Nations try to reach a settlement.
• 1998 Transitional year.  Lake of the Woods  re-named Assabaska Ojibway Heritage Park and operated by the Assabaska First Nations, under Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources administration.
• 1999 Negotiations for land claim continue