The Labatte House at Thunder Beach, near the Métis settlement at Penetanguishene, stands as an enduring testament to Métis resiliency in the Upper Great Lakes. That legacy all began on a fateful Christmas Eve in 1834. Like many Métis families from Drummond Island, the Labattes were relocated to Penetanguishene after the War of 1812. Many, including Louis George Labatte, were promised land grants in the region as recognition for their service during the war. After settling br

Check out our Special Seasonal Colouring Page: Métis Mail Carriers The Upper Great Lakes is known for its snowy winters with high winds, once making it hard for families to stay connected during winter. They often relied upon mail carriers, many of which were Métis, to make long, treacherous winter journeys between communities to stay up to date on events of the day. Dogsleds and snowshoes were standard methods of travel for Métis mail carriers during the winter months. For e

DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL COLOURING PAGE TO PRINT AT HOME Long ago, before Canada Post, Métis mail carriers like Louis Miron and Michel Labatte were the real heroes of winter! They traveled through deep snow and icy winds to deliver letters and keep communities connected. Imagine this: trekking through snowstorms along the frozen shores of Lakes Huron and Superior for 15 days—just to deliver the mail! They did it all with snowshoes and dogsleds. Would you have what it takes to be

Throughout history, travelling between Métis communities has been an important part of maintaining economic, political, cultural, and kinship connections. While canoes were a common means of transportation throughout the lakes and river systems of the Métis Homeland, they became increasingly dangerous in winter. When lakes began to freeze, canoe routes became difficult or impossible to navigate, and cold temperatures made birch bark canoes brittle. This meant that many Métis