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
