ONTARIO MÉTIS FACTS

During harsh winters across the Upper Great Lakes, land-based knowledge and ingenuity could be the difference between life and death for Métis mail carriers. In a 1948 Sault Star article, Charlie Davieaux reflected on a particularly dangerous trip across Lake Superior in the early 1880’s. Charlie, his father, Hyacinthe, and a third man had found themselves trapped in the narrow end of open water, completely surrounded by “fields of thickly packed ice cakes.” The trio used th

Like many other Métis mail carriers across the Upper Great Lakes, Charlie Davieaux was accustomed to traveling long distances in hazardous conditions. The spring thaw was particularly hazardous, requiring mail carriers to depend on one another not only to fulfill their duties, but also to ensure their survival. In a 1948 Sault Star article, Davieaux recounted a perilous spring-time journey “when the ice was too heavy to permit the use of a boat and too thin for safety with a

Métis mail carriers have a rich history of helping isolated communities stay connected socially, politically, and economically. They often navigated long, difficult routes and hazardous conditions, relying on extensive knowledge of the land that was passed down from generation to generation. In the 1880s, the Native Copper Company operated copper mines on Michipicoten Island. While the company provided employees with amenities such as a store, a dance hall, and even a “compl