ONTARIO MÉTIS FACTS

While traveling from Penetanguishene to Manitoulin Island through Georgian Bay in the mid-1800s, influential British writer Anna Jameson noted the distinctive presence of the Métis men in her company from the settlers in the expedition. In their appearance, demeanor, and work ethic, they conveyed a clear and recognizable identity: “The other men were all picked men, Canadian half‐breeds, young, well‐looking, full of glee and good‐nature, with untiring arms and more untiring l

Many members of the Upper Great Lakes Métis Community utilized their knowledge of the lands, waters, and local peoples to maintain meaningful employment as guides and interpreters.   Lewis Solomon, a member of the Métis community at Penetanguishene, was one of those guides.   Lewis was born on Drummond Island in 1821 and later moved to Penetanguishene during the community’s relocation in 1829. As a young adult, Lewis pursued “a tolerably fair education” that afforded him a “c

Following its construction in 1832, St. Ann’s Church in Penetanguishene quickly became more than a place of worship. It served as a centre of Métis kinship, strengthening family and community connections across Georgian Bay and the wider Upper Great Lakes. Following his years of advocacy on behalf of Upper Great Lakes Métis interests, Michel Labatte saw those efforts come full circle when he married Archange Berger in the very St. Ann’s Church he had helped to build. Like the