Bearskin Lake First Nation

Indian reserve in Ontario, Canada
53°55′29″N 90°58′10″W / 53.92472°N 90.96944°W / 53.92472; -90.96944[1]Country CanadaProvince OntarioDistrictKenoraFirst NationBearskin LakeArea • Land125.78 km2 (48.56 sq mi)Elevation230 m (750 ft)Population
 (2006)[2]
 • Total459

Bearskin Lake First Nation (Severn Ojibwa: ᒥᒋᑲᐣ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ)[4] is an Oji-Cree First Nation reserve in Kenora District, Ontario, Canada, located 425 kilometres (264 mi) north of Sioux Lookout. Bearskin First Nation's total registered population as of March 2014[update] was 900, of which their on-reserve population was 461.

Three settlements make up the Bearskin Lake First Nation. Originally located on Bearskin Lake 50 kilometres (31 mi) to the southwest, their main community moved to its present site on Michikan Lake ("Fish Trap Lake") in the 1930s and is accessible only by air from Bearskin Lake Airport or winter road. The main village is situated on the west shore of the lake[1] and all three settlements are linked to one another by all weather gravel roads. The First Nation still retains the 12,626.3-hectare (31,200-acre) Bearskin Lake Indian Reserve[5] in which all three lie. The reserve also contains a segment of the Severn River, into which Michikan Lake flows, and of Severn Lake.

Prior to achieving full Band and reserve status in 1975, Bearskin was a satellite community of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (Big Trout Lake First Nation), 72 kilometres (45 mi) to the east. Today, Bearskin Lake First Nation is a member of the Windigo First Nations Council, a regional tribal council that is a member of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Bearskin Lake is policed by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, an Aboriginal-based service.

Governance

Bearskin First Nation is governed by Chief Rosemary McKay and her Deputy Chief Leonard "Wayne" Brown; their 3-year term began on April 1, 2014. In addition, the First Nation's Council is four councillors: Stuart Kamenawatamin, Gary Kamenawatamin, George Kamenawatamin, and Roderick Kamenawatamin.

External links

  • Chiefs of Ontario profile
  • AANDC profile

References

  1. ^ a b "Bearskin Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2016-03-10. (settlement)
  2. ^ a b "Bearskin Lake census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2015-05-20. The census profile only gives figure for 2006.
  3. ^ Taken from Google Earth at geographic coordinates. Accessed 2016-03-10.
  4. ^ Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation - Annual Report 2013-2014, https://nanlegal.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/nalsc-annual-report-2013-14.pdf
  5. ^ "Bearskin Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2016-03-10. (reserve)
Places adjacent to Bearskin Lake First Nation
  • v
  • t
  • e
Independent First Nations AllianceKeewaytinook Okimakanak CouncilMatawa First NationsMushkegowuk CouncilShibogama First Nations CouncilWabun Tribal CouncilWindigo First Nations CouncilIndependent NAN Communities
  • v
  • t
  • e
The Numbered Treaties: Treaty Nine
Numbered Treaties
Treaty Nine Nations
  • v
  • t
  • e
Cities
Towns
Townships
First Nations
Indian reserves
Indian settlements
Unorganized areas
Local services boards
Unincorporated
communities
See also
Communities in Kenora District
Census divisions of Ontario
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • VIAF
  • WorldCat
National
  • United States