After over 45 years, Long Lake #58 secures larger land base
By Rick Garrick
LONG LAKE #58 — Long Lake #58 recently secured 1,690.435 hectares (4,177.145 acres) of additional land through the federal Additions to Reserve policy after leadership began working to secure a larger land base more than 45 years ago. The additional land, including mines and minerals, was added to the community’s one square mile (640 acre) reserve that was originally provided by the federal government in 1905, effective June 17.
“It’s really been a long time coming,” says Long Lake #58 Chief Judy Desmoulin, noting the land claim process has been a priority for Chief and Councils over the decades. “A few members of our community came forward [45 years ago] and requested the leadership of the day to get more land because they felt cheated out of what was given to them at the time.”
Chief Desmoulin says the Addition to Reserve will enable the community to expand and to implement a Lands Use Plan developed through input from citizens, including children and youth, until the community’s final and larger land claim is settled. The Addition to Reserve land extends along the Long Lake shoreline from the community’s existing reserve.
“Our community put together a dream list and a wish list,” Chief Desmoulin says, noting the Lands Use Plan was finalized in May but due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the community has not been able to gather to review the final results of the plan. “For those that don’t express the desire to move back home yet, they do want to have connections to their community so that is why in our plan there are a lot of opportunities for them to do that, coming to visit different sites and other family members.”
Chief Desmoulin says the community’s number one priority is to build more housing for citizens.
“Our young families are needing places of their own,” Chief Desmoulin says. “On our existing land, we don’t have any more serviced lots so we can’t even build any more unless we start building on top of the existing units. So this is coming just in time.”
Chief Desmoulin says many Long Lake #58 citizens have wanted to return home but have not been able to because of the lack of housing.
“We have a number of requests from Elders especially to come back home,” Chief Desmoulin says. “And we have some young families as well who want to be closer to the land.”
Chief Desmoulin says the next step is to access infrastructure funding to develop the land for housing, including construction of roads, water lines and lots.
“So we’re getting right on that, meeting with our government counterparts and looking at other ways to get this built,” Desmoulin says.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu, whose riding includes Long Lake #58, says the additional land will allow the community to explore economic and social opportunities to further the health and well-being of their citizens.
“A lot of people don’t know, but some of the reserves are very small so when you talk about adding housing for example to a reserve that does not have any land left, there is no place to put that house,” Hajdu says. “So that, plus many other aspects of connection to the land was really hampering Long Lake #58’s plans and their ability to work on improving their own economic development, their own community wellness, so this is pretty exciting news.”
Hajdu says Long Lake #58’s securing of additional land is reconciliation in action.
“This is about making sure First Nations have the ability to determine for themselves what they need and actually stopping the sort of decades if you will of spinning our wheels through government inaction,” Hajdu says. “So I’m really pleased to be part of a government that understands reconciliation is about the land, it is about Indigenous leadership, it is about self-determination.”