Claim History

In 1983, the Algonquins of Golden Lake (Pikwàkanagàn) presented to the Government of Canada a claim to Aboriginal rights and title within the Ontario portion of the Ottawa and Mattawa River watersheds. Their claim was submitted to the Government of Ontario in 1985. The claim contends that the Algonquins have continuing ownership of 8.9 million acres of land (14,000 square miles) on the basis that they never ceded their rights through treaty or sold or lost their territory through war. This claim was linked to a series of petitions to the Crown by the Algonquins dating back to 1772.

The Algonquins of Ontario, in asserting their claim, rely on s.35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which provides constitutional protection to the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. Over the last decade, the Supreme Court of Canada has tried to clarify the meaning and effect of such rights in its rulings on a number of important Aboriginal rights and title cases.

Following a comprehensive historical and legal review of the Algonquin claim, Ontario agreed to enter into negotiations with the Algonquins in 1991. The province recognized there was merit in seeking a negotiated settlement of the claim. This does not mean that Ontario has admitted legal liability, but that the government believes negotiation with the Algonquins, rather than litigation, offers the best route toward a lasting settlement of the issues. Canada joined the negotiations in December 1992, following its own independent review of the Algonquin claim.

In 1991, Ontario and the Algonquins negotiated the first annual Algonquin Hunting Agreement. This interim arrangement created a managed regime for the exercise of Algonquin big game food harvesting activities through establishing specific harvest targets, seasons and other measures. In subsequent years, the agreement has been renegotiated and refined to reflect wildlife conservation priorities and the changing dynamics in wildlife populations. Beginning in 2003, the Algonquins have conducted their game harvests using an adult moose tag system similar to that used throughout the rest of the province. The Algonquin harvest limits are negotiated with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and based on that ministry’s survey information. Copies of the hunting agreements signed by Ontario and the Algonquins are available through the Pembroke Information Centre.

In 1994, the three negotiating parties—Ontario, Canada and the Algonquins—signed a Framework for Negotiations to set out various procedures to guide negotiations. The three chief negotiators also signed a Statement of Shared Objectives (download PDF - 225 Kb). This document, originally signed in 1994, was re-affirmed by the three negotiating parties in March 2006 and signed by the three principal negotiators and the 16 Algonquin Negotiation Representatives (download Adobe PDF - 411 kb)

Historical Context for the Algonquin Land Claim

One of the first recorded encounters between the Algonquins and European explorers was in 1603 when Samuel de Champlain wrote of meeting a group of Algonquin traders.

Historical evidence indicates that the Algonquins over time have occupied portions of the lands of the Ottawa River watershed and travelled through surrounding territory as a hunting and gathering society. The Algonquins assert that the Algonquins of Ontario never surrendered its territory by treaty, sale, or conquest and have made such claims since 1772.

Successful negotiation of this land claim offers the Algonquins of Ontario, Canada and Ontario an opportunity to resolve these outstanding issues and provide certainty of legal title to land owners throughout the Ottawa Valley. As a modern-day treaty, the final settlement of this claim is expected to give legal force to a lasting and comprehensive agreement that will settle all outstanding issues related to the claim.

Ontario also expects that this claim settlement will promote economic development opportunities for the Algonquin people, which will also bring economic benefits to eastern and central Ontario.