In Quebec’s Outaouais cottage country, a large region surrounding Lac Bernard, the Algonquin First Nation has a deep-rooted and enduring presence that predates colonial settlement by thousands of years. Indigenous communities, such as the Kitigan Zibi Anishinaabe, had long relied on these lands for dwelling, hunting, fishing, and cultural practices.
As settlement development expanded, traditional territories were disrupted. Nonetheless, these communities have continued to assert their land rights and push for recognition of treaty obligations.
Today, they play an active role in regional decision-making, environmental stewardship, and cultural revitalization, ensuring that their ancestral connection to the land remains visible and respected amid growing recreational use.
We have yet to build a documentary record of the important role that these communities play in the life of the region and, most important, the life of our community around Lac Bernard. Please help us fill that gap by contributing your records and especially your stories. It is those records and stories that will enable our respective communities to better understand and appreciate one another ,and to enjoy the benefits of what each has to offer the other.