Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation

The Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation is an Oji-Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario. They reside on the 1,939.7 hectares (4,793.1 acres) Muskrat Dam Lake reserve, located on Muskrat Dam Lake in the Kenora District. The community of Muskrat Dam, Ontario, is located on this reserve. In June 2008, their total registered population was 387 people, of which their on-reserve population was around 195.

The reserve's primary transportation link is the Muskrat Dam Airport.

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

History

The Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation is part of the 1929-30 Adhesion to the James Bay Treaty of 1905 - Treaty 9.

The Muskrat Dam people have historical links to the people of Bearskin Lake, and several families have relocated from Bearskin Lake to Muskrat Dam Lake. These families that relocated to Muskrat Dam were that of Tommy and Victoria Beardy who were joined by Jeremiah and Juliet Duncan, Moses and Eunice Fiddler, Jake and Esther Beardy and Roderick and Effie Fiddler. Later, Fiddlers' son Billy and Moses Fiddler's mother Nainee also joined the little settlement.

Due to abundance of natural resources in the area, the small community started living off the land: fishing, hunting, trapping and logging. Weagamow Lake, Ontario helped them start a sawmill operation, as well as to fly-in tools, gas and grocery supplies.

Until the reserve was officially gained reserve status in 1976, Muskrat Dam was a satellite community of the Big Big Trout Lake.

Governance

The current electoral leadership of the council consists of Chief Gordon Beardy, Deputy Chief Gary Beardy and three councillors: Roy Fiddler, Robert Morris and Christina Morris. Their two-year term began on July 28, 2011.

The First Nation is part of the Independent First Nations Alliance of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Official address

Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation
P.O. Box 140
Muskrat Dam, ON P0V 3B0

Phone: 1-807-471-2573/2574

Fax: 1-807-471-2540 -Finance

       1-807-471-2699 - Main Fax Line

Notable people

• Gordon Beardy—former Keewatin Bishop for the Anglican Church of Canada who was the first Native diocesan bishop in Canada; also elected and served as the First Nation's Chief in 2002.

External links

• Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation's webpage
• AANDC profile
• Chiefs of Ontario profile
• FirstNation.ca profile
• NAN profile

Coordinates: 53°21′43″N 91°50′49″W / 53.36194°N 91.84694°W / 53.36194; -91.84694

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