Beausoleil First Nation

Beausoleil First Nation
Type	Organization

Beausoleil First Nation is a First Nation community.

In Anishinabek News

• April 2013: The community leadership and social services department funded the Anishnaabemowin Language Revitalization project. Seven fluent speakers from the community underwent intensive training to become immersion instructors for Anishinaabemowin. The First Nation operates a day care and the Christian Island Elementary School.
• May 2013: The community hosted an immersion instructor training program to revitalize the Anishinaabemowin language in 2013. The Beausoleil First Nation Chief and Council provided funding for the language revitalization project. The community is home to the Christian Island Elementary School and the Guiding Lights Senior Centre.
• October 2013: The community is participating in a new provincial energy conservation program for First Nations.
• October 2013: The community operates a Children’s Oral Health Initiative for students from nursery school to Grade 5. A public dental office is located at the Health Centre on Christian Island.
• December 2013: Beausoleil First Nation placed its portion of the Coldwater-Narrows Land Claim settlement into a trust to provide for future community needs. Women from Beausoleil First Nation partnered with local farmers to successfully protest the development of Site 41.
• March 2014: The community spent $30,000 of its own funds to upgrade and certify a fire truck that was delivered without necessary winter equipment. The community's fire truck was de-classified from a number one pumper to a pumper/rescue vehicle after modifications.
• July 2014: The community hosted the Island in the Sun Intertribal Pow-Wow in July 2014. Members of the newly elected council, including Roly Monague, were introduced during the event.
• May 2015: The community hosted the 6th Annual Christian Island Elementary School Pow Wow in May 2015. Representatives from the community emergency service and fire department participated in the event's Grand Entry.
• April 2016: Community members participated in the 2016 symposium hosted by the Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre.
• January 2018: The community's youth council representative, Lance Copegog, spoke out against Lynn Beyak in January 2018.
• March 2018: The community is the home of youth leader Lance Copegog. As of March 2018, it relies on a 68-year-old vessel for transportation that is reportedly in danger of sinking.
• March 2019: The community was recognized at the First Nations Housing Conference for completing a six-plex energy-efficient housing complex. The housing project was supported by about $1,176,000 from the federal Budget 2016 Immediate Needs Fund. As of March 2019, community representatives noted a high demand for housing, with up to 40 applicants for a single vacant home.
• July 2019: The community hosted its first ever pow-wow for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit People.
• July 2019: The community is the home of Lance Copegog, the Southeast Youth Representative.
• August 2019: In 2019, Beausoleil First Nation voted to ratify a custom Land Code to remove certain aspects of their territory from Indian Act control. Lance Copegog served as the Deputy Youth Chief of the Beausoleil First Nation Youth Council.
• January 2020: A member of this community attended the Mosaadan Mino Bmaadiziwin conference to participate in a sex information session.
• June 2020: The community declared a Community Health Emergency on March 16, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership planned to move the community to Level 3 of its COVID-19 Response Plan during the week of June 15, 2020. The First Nation has an on-reserve population of over 750 citizens and a total population of approximately 2,000 people.
• December 2020: The community hosts Christian Island Elementary School. It is part of a regional strategy to implement digital Anishinaabemowin learning tools in classrooms.
• April 2021: The community partnered with Lakehead University to monitor environmental changes and develop educational programs for local youth. As of April 2021, community members noted that changing climate conditions have made the traditional winter ice road unsafe and unpredictable. The First Nation is working with multiple partners to integrate environmental data into the Christian Island Elementary School curriculum.
• June 2021: Beausoleil First Nation is the home community of contributor Hayden King.
• August 2021: Beausoleil First Nation is the site of a digital legacy project funded by the federal government. The community has previously conducted archaeological digs and collected video and audio recordings of Elders who attended residential schools.
• September 2021: The leadership of Beausoleil First Nation closed all non-essential programs on September 30, 2021, to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The community encouraged the public to wear orange shirts to honor those affected by Indian Residential Schools. Beausoleil First Nation called on Canadians to advocate for the implementation of the 94 Calls to Action.
• January 2022: Juliana Armstrong grew up in this community and describes it as a safe place where she learned about the land and water. The author received her spirit name, Woman of the Deep Blue Water, while living in this community.
• February 2022: The community collaborated with Lakehead University to organize a weekly book club starting in January 2022. Citizens of the community are participating in the program to break the monotony of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was introduced to the community by Trish Monague.
• January 2023: Community members donated Christmas gifts for Trista Madsen to deliver to children in Guatemala in 2022. The community is located on Christian Island.
• March 2023: Trish Monague is an Elder from this community.
• March 2023: Chett Monague, a citizen of this community, received a 2022 award from Canada Post.
• March 2023: Beausoleil First Nation is the home community of Chett Monague, a 2022 recipient of the Awards for Indigenous Students.
• June 2023: On June 1, 2023, Beausoleil First Nation participated in its first election held under the First Nations Election Act. The community voted on June 1, 1916, to admit 62 non-treaty Anishinabek people into the band membership. Members of the band successfully voted against the surrender of Hope Island and Beckwith Island in 1916.
• June 2023: The community is situated on three islands and is known for its beaches and the Christian Island Lighthouse. The British Colonial Government initially built a lighthouse on the territory without the permission or consultation of the community's leadership. The community was involved in land surrender negotiations during the 1850s and 1860s for lighthouse purposes.
• July 2023: The community is one of the six First Nations served by the Ogemawahj Tribal Council.
• October 2023: Twelve handmade quilts were sent to survivors in this community as part of an initiative by Dawn Kelly.
• October 2023: Elder Neil Monague represented this community while providing opening and closing teachings at the 2023 health conference.
• May 2024: Bryce King-Robitaille is a citizen of this community and aspires to provide graphic arts services for it in the future.
• June 2024: The community hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new shelter on June 21, 2024. The First Nation is dedicated to providing culturally safe and trauma-informed care for families experiencing violence. Leadership from the community collaborated with federal agencies to fund and develop the Indigenous Women and Children's Shelter.
• August 2024: This community is one of three co-hosts selected for the 2025 Little Native Hockey League tournament. The community belongs to the Chippewas Tri-Council, which is co-hosting the 2025 hockey event.
• October 2024: The community's health director provided a spotlight presentation during the Nimaaji-toomin Maamwii conference in 2024.
• November 2024: The First Nation operates Springwater Provincial Park. Community member Jeff Monague is a former Chief of the nation.
• March 2025: The community helped organize the 2025 Little Native Hockey League event.
• June 2025: The community entered a co-management agreement with Ontario in 2015 for Springwater Provincial Park. This agreement is cited as a successful model for First Nation stewardship and conservation efforts.
• June 2025: The community was the location of reporting regarding Scott Simpson and his wellness initiatives.
• September 2025: The community celebrated the launch of a new state-of-the-art ferry in early August 2025. Leadership and community members advocated for decades to secure a purpose-built vessel to meet their specific transportation needs. The community previously relied on an ice road for winter travel, but ice thickness has decreased over the last decade.
• October 2025: Members and Elders from the community attended the art reveal for the Call to Action #83 Art Project in Orillia. Artist Guy Brandon Copegog is a member of the Marten Clan from this First Nation.
• November 2025: Clayton King is a citizen of this First Nation.
• November 2025: Chett Monague is the first chiropractor to be born and raised in this community. The community is located on an island and has faced challenges with limited access to fresh and nutritious food.
• December 2025: The community of Beausoleil First Nation is the site of several log structures built by Guy Monague, including a youth pavilion and a pow wow arbour. Guy Monague served as the Chief of Beausoleil First Nation from 2018 through 2021.
• January 2026: The community employs Deborah Laramey as its Health Director. It is one of the communities involved in the Anishinabek Nation health transformation process.
• February 2026: Artist Clayton King, who painted Mno Ishkode, is a member of Beausoleil First Nation.
• February 2026: The community's paramedics performed an emergency childbirth on the MV Indian Maiden ferry in February 2026. Residents of the island community face transportation challenges during winter months when traveling to the nearest hospital on the mainland. The community is situated within Georgian Bay and relies on ferry services for transport.
• May 2026: The community is the home of Diane Marion, who spoke at an anti-human trafficking conference in 2026.
• October 2026: Tammy Cascagnette is a citizen of this community.