Métis leader Nicolas Chatelaine was born around 1795 on the shores of northern Lake Superior. While little is known about his early years, Chatelaine's involvement in significant historical events from his late teens onward is nothing short of remarkable.
Chatelaine fought for the British in the War of 1812, serving in a detachment fielded by the North West Company. Ebenezer McColl, Inspector of Indian Agencies, would later reflect on Chatelaine’s service, saying: “I understand that the amount of $250 was given to this veteran of the War of 1812 as an acknowledgment of the great services he had rendered to his Country…”
In 1824, Chatelaine began working for the Hudson’s Bay Company as an Indian interpreter at Lac La Pluie (Rainy Lake), where he managed two HBC posts between 1850 and 1859.
After retiring from the HBC in 1870, Chatelaine took on the role of interpreter at Fort Frances. In 1873, he was a witness at the signing of the North West Angle Treaty (Treaty No. 3), using his influence to help secure the agreement.
Two years later, in 1875, Nicolas Chatelaine as “Chief” of the Halfbreeds of Rainy River and Rainy Lake negotiated and signed the Métis Adhesion to Treaty No. 3—the only known exception to Canada’s historic policy to not negotiate treaties with Métis—securing recognition, presents, annuities, payments, and lands for his Métis community.
When Canada failed to fulfill its treaty promises, Chatelaine continued advocating for his Métis community, signing a petition along with two of his sons, asking the government to pay the annuities promised under the Adhesion.
Seeing Canada’s lack of intent to ever implement the Métis Adhesion to Treaty No. 3, Nicolas Chatelaine applied for scrip in St. Vital, Manitoba in 1878, stating on record that he had received "promisses [sic] from the officers of the government that I was to get my scrip at Fort Francis with many other people of that locality.”
Ebeneezer McColl, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, advocated for Chatelaine’s claim, writing:
“I am of the opinion that you will be only fulfilling the spirit of your instructions by giving him the scrip in question. He is a worthy man…”
However, because Canada deemed Chatelaine to be a resident of Ontario, not of the Northwest Territories, his claim for scrip was rejected.
While seeing no just and lasting resolution of his Métis community’s claims in his lifetime, Chatelaine remained a notable and respected figure within the Rainy Lake region until his death in 1892 at nearly one hundred years old.
Reflecting on Nicolas Chatelaine’s extraordinary life in 1889, shorty before Chatelaine’s death, Inspector of Indian Agencies, Ebeneezer McColl wrote:
“Mr. Chastellaine is a French Half-Breed, one of nature's noblemen of commanding presence, being six feet four inches in height, 98 years of age and totally blind… I would therefore recommend that whether he be placed on the retired list or not, the amount paid him will not be interfered with until he is ‘gathered to his fathers’.”
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