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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Osnaburgh House

Mishkeegogamang First Nation is an Ojibway band government (First Nation) in the Canadian province of Ontario. Until 1993, the band was called the Osnaburgh First Nation, with various settlements at times being called New Osnaburgh, Osnaburgh House, or Osnaburgh ("Oz" for short).

The traditional territory of the Mishkeegogamang Ojibway extends to the north, south, east and west, beyond the boundaries of Reserves 63A and 63B. The traditional territory is made up of the communities of the Main Reserve, Bottle Hill, Poplar Heights, Sandy Road, Doghole Bay, Rat Rapids, Cedar Rapids, Ten Houses, Eric Lake, Ace Lake, Metcalfe, Pashkokogan, Mile 50, Fitchie Lake, Mile 42, Mile 29, Menako Lakes, and the shores of Lake St. Joseph.

Mother Tongues: Ojibwe Anishinaabemowin, ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᒧᐎᓐ

It is located along Highway 599 in the Kenora District, approximately 20 km (12 mi) south of Pickle Lake. Its total registered population as of March 2022 is 2,028 (of which the on-reserve population was over 1,000 people as of the 2016 Census). At one time a member of the Windigo First Nations Council, Mishkeegogamang First Nation is not part of any regional tribal councils as of February 2015; however, they have retained their membership with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Geography

  • The Mishkeegogamang First Nation's landbase consists of two reserves, the smaller 5,018.6-hectare (12,401-acre) Osnaburgh Indian Reserve 63A and the larger 13,677.8-hectare (33,799-acre) Osnaburgh Indian Reserve 63B.
  • The First Nation land is located within two districts, the smaller Osnaburgh 63A is located in the boundary of the Thunder Bay District, meanwhile the larger Osnaburgh 63B is located in the boundary of the Kenora District. Mishkeegogamang does not observe daylight saving time.
  • Oz is made up of separate and somewhat geographically disconnected communities. On their main reserve are the communities of Bottle Hill, Poplar Heights and Sandy Road. A community about 24 km (15 mi) south called Ten Houses is also associated with this First Nation. Additionally, some small communities called Doghole Bay, Eric Lake, Ace Lake and a few others are also associated with Osnaburgh.

Infrastructure

Transportation

  • Mishkeegogamang First Nation has year-round access by road, It is located along Highway 599 in the Kenora District, approximately 20 km (12 mi) south of Pickle Lake.
  • The community is also served by nearby Pickle Lake Airport for passenger and cargo services to all flying destinations.

Medical centres and nearby hospitals

  • MIshkeegogamang Health Centre is located along Highway 599 on the Main Reserve community, one of the many sub-division communities of the First Nation. It serves as the Nursing Station and administration office for health programs, coordinates health care services through Nursing staff, Community Health Representatives, visiting community Physicians and Doctors.
  • Participates in Thunder Bay's Regional Critical Care Response Program (RCCR) with other First Nation communities which enables patients to be triaged and cared for by critical care doctors and other highly-skilled staff at TBRHSC's Intensive Care Unit via videoconferencing equipment prior to transfer via Air Amublance (Ornge)
  • Major hospitals nearby Mishkeegogamang include Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Health Sciences Centre and The Children's Hospital of Winnipeg.

Utilities

Current Governance

Chief and Council (2023-2025)

Title Given Name Surname Appointment Date Expiry Date
Chief MERLE LOON 08/10/2023 08/09/2025
Head Councillor TANYA BOTTLE 08/10/2023 08/09/2025
Councillor MAXINE SKUNK 08/10/2023 08/09/2025
Councillor BRENDA FOX 08/10/2023 08/09/2025
Councillor LINDA KAMINAWAISH 08/10/2023 08/09/2025
Councillor MARY ANN PANACHEESE-SKUNK 08/10/2023 08/09/2025

Membership Authority

Section 11 Band

Election System

Indian Act

Council Quorum

4

First Nation Affiliations

  • Mishkeegogamang First Nation is governed by one Chief and five Band Councillors who are elected every two years.
  • Mishkeegogamang is not affiliated with any tribal organization, but is associated with Nishnawbe Aski Nation lobby group.
  • Mishkeegogamang is policed by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, an aboriginal-based service. The Mishkeegogamang NAPS detachment can also refer cases to the Pickle Lake detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police, in nearby Pickle Lake.
  • Mishkeegogamang First Nation residents vote in the Kenora federal riding and the Kiiwetinoong provincial electoral district. Kiiwetinoong has a population of 32,987 and means "North" in Ojibwe. Kiiwetinoong is 68 percent indigenous.

Official Address

Mishkeegogamang Band Office

1 First Nation Street

Mishkeegogamang, Ontario, Canada

P0V 2H0

History

Early history

  • The Mishkeegogamang people are Ojibway who are believed to have originated in the Great Lakes region. The tribe might have moved north when European Hudson's Bay Company traders started establishing interior posts and routes, or possibly beforehand. Their arrival pushed the previous Cree occupants farther northward.

Osnaburgh House

Osnaburg House, HBC post, 1901

Twentieth and twenty-first century

  • In 1905, the Government of Canada sent commissioners to the area to attain the land for the Crown. Treaty 9 between them and the Mishkeegogamang (among other groups) set aside two pieces of land for reserves (Osnaburgh 63A and 63B) with the promise that the people would not necessarily have to live on the reserves and would have full use of all of their traditional lands. The tribe was formalised at this time with Missabay chosen as the first chief and a band and council system was instituted.

Elected Chiefs since 1905

Chief Elected Year Expiry Year Other
Daniel Missabay Prior to 1905
Osnaburgh Band of Ojibways signed The James Bay Treaty (Treaty No. 9)
Daniel Missabay 1905 1908 Died. 1908
George Wawaashkung 1908 1914 1st time
Keewaykeesicquayosh 1914 1915 1st time
George Wawaashkung 1915 1916 2nd time
Johh Skunk 1916 1923 1st time
Peter Moquano 1923 1926 1st tme
James Ruben 1926 1929 1st time
John Carpenter 1929 1935 1st time
Peter Moquano 1935 1938 2nd time, Resigned
William Semia Oombash 1938 1941 1st time
James Masakeyash 1941 1965 1st time
Levius Wesley 1965 1967 1st time
James Masakeyash 1967 1969 2nd time
Sam Skunk 1969 1971 1st time, Resigned
Robert Lastheels 1971 1975 1st time
Daniel Panacheese 1975 1977 1st time
Maurice Loon 1977 1978 1st time, Resigned
Aloysuis Kaminaiwash 1978 1981 1st time
Roy Kaminaiwash 1981 1983 1st time
Maurice Loon 1983 1985 2nd time
Roy Kaminaiwash 1985 1993 2nd time
"Osnaburgh Band" name changed to "Mishkeegogamang" through Band Council Resolution
Ronald Roundhead 1993 2005 1st time
Connie Gray Mckay 2005 2017 1st time
David Masakeyash 2017 2023 1st time
Merle Loon 2023 ***** 1st time

References

  1. ^ Branch, Government of Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada; Communications (2008-11-14). "First Nation Profiles". fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "History". Mishkeegogamang First Nation. 2010. Retrieved 2004-02-15.
  3. ^ "History". Old Post Lodge. 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-15.

* Official website