Volume III: Nicholas Montour: first Indigenous member of Quebec’s National Assembly

The Quebec National Assembly must change its description of the first Indigenous representative, Nicholas Montour:

They have bleached his identity:

Source: http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/deputes/montour-nicholas-4543/biographie.html

Biography

“Probably born in the United States, in 1756, and baptized on October 31, 1756, in the Dutch Church of Albany, in the colony of New York, son of Andrew (Henry) Montour, Indian Agent and Interpreter, and his second wife, Sarah Ainse (was later a shopkeeper).

Trained as a clerk in the fur trade, most notably for Joseph Frobisher in 1774. He stayed in the West for many years and then, around 1792, settled in Montreal. Was a shareholder of the North West Company. Purchased in 1794 the Distillery Company of Montreal; also invests in real estate and real estate in Montreal, in the seigneuries and in the townships. In 1799, moved to Pointe-du-Lac, near Trois-Rivières. He was a justice of the peace.

Elected Deputy for Saint-Maurice in 1796; generally supported the Party of Bureaucrats. Not represented in 1800. Admitted in 1790 to the Beaver Club of Montreal.

Died in the lordship of Pointe-du-Lac, on August 6, 1808, at the age of 51 or 52 years. Buried in the Protestant cemetery of Trois-Rivières, August 8, 1808.

Had married Geneviève Wills, daughter of Meredith Wills, merchant, and Geneviève Dunière, on February 17, 1798, in Montreal’s Christ Church.

Father-in-law of Charles-Christophe Malhiot. Nephew by marriage of Louis Dunière and Pierre Marcoux.

Source: DBC.

Date of update of biography: May 2009″

Nicholas is actually the son of Sarah (Sally) Ainse, Oneida Nation diplomat, and Sattellihu Andrew Montour, a prominent interpreter and negotiator in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The great-grandparents of Nicholas Montour were Marie Mite8agami8k8e of the Algonquin Nation and Pierre Couc, from the small mission to the Pachirini Trois-Rivières fiefdom.

This Indigenous man, described in his day as Métis, made his fortune in the fur trade and was a shareholder of the North West Company.

80 years after the small mission granted to the Sachem Pachirini of the Algonquin Nation was removed from the Indigenous Peoples, Nicholas chose to use his fortune to buy a seigneury at Pointe du Lac, near Trois-Rivières, where he built houses, “at his own expense and on land owned by him, provide refuge of wandering and vagabond savages” (HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF YAMACHICHE BY ABBE N. CARON PRIEST, CHANOINE, CURÉ OF MASKINONGÉ, 1892.)

Nicolas was justice of the peace and deputy for the great county of Saint-Maurice, which at the time covered the entire territory from Berthierville to Batiscan.

The Montour family remained responsible until the abolition of the seigneurial regime in 1855.

Many of his descendants are recognized members of the Manitoba Métis Nation:

The National Assembly of Quebec must modify the description of this Great Man to celebrate the identity of the first Indigenous MNA in Québec.

Nicholas Montour: Premier député autochtone du Québec

L’assemblée nationale du Québec se doit de modifier sa description du premier représentant autochtone, Nicholas Montour:

Ils ont blanchi son identité.

Nicholas est le fils de Sarah (Sally) Ainse, diplomate de la Nation Oneida, et de Sattellihu Andrew Montour, un interprète et négociateur important en Virginie et en Pennsylvanie.

Les arrière-grands-parents de Nicholas Montour étaient Marie Mite8agami8k8e de la Nation Algonquine et Pierre Couc, de la petite mission au fief Pachirini Trois-Rivières.

Cet homme autochtone, décrit dans son temps comme étant Métis, a fait fortune dans la traite de la fourrure et fût un des actionnaires de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest.

80 ans après que la petite mission accordée au Sachem Pachirini de la Nation Algonquine a été retirée des autochtones, Nicholas a choisi utiliser sa fortune afin d’acheter une seigneurie à la Pointe du Lac, près des Trois-Rivières, où il a bâti des maisons, “à ses dépens et sur un terrain à lui appartenant, pour y réfugier des Sauvages errants et vagabonds” (HISTOIRE DE LA PAROISSE D’YAMACHICHE (PRÉCIS HISTORIQUE) — PAR — L’ABBE N. CARON PRÊTRE, CHANOINE, CURÉ DE MASKINONGÉ, 1892.

Nicolas fût juge de paix et député pour le grand comté de Saint-Maurice, qui à l’époque couvrait le territoire entier de Berthierville jusqu’à Batiscan.

La famille Montour demeura responsables de leurs censitaires jusqu’à l’abolition du régime seigneurial en 1855.

L’assemblée nationale du Québec se doit de modifier la description de ce Grand Homme afin de célébrer l’identité du tout premier député autochtone du Québec.

#Métis Ruling: So now what?

Yesterday was the Supreme Court Ruling about giving Thanks and acknowledgement to the people who sacrificed so much to get to the highest court in the land. For a plain language interpretation of the ruling, my friend Dr. Sébastien Malette, who helped the Métis Federation of Canada prepare their Factum for the cause, has taken the time to explain to me what the ruling means. Click here to see his take on it.

Today and henceforth, the hard work begins.

So now what?

This is where the Nation – or Community – comes to play.

Metis ruling

Nations AND CommunitiesPlural.

I refuse to wallow in negativity – it’s standing room only in there already. I have no desire , claim to fame or recognition because it’s not even close to being part of my wheelhouse. Notice: no PayPal button anywhere on my blog.

My community is Nitaskinan. My ties are tied to the land of my Indigenous ancestors. The home and hearth of my many First Nations ggggrandmothers. The Settler construct of ownership is not part of my wheelhouse either.

Treaty Métis (Otipemsiwak?) needs are different than Unceded-Land Métis (Abitawisiwak?). Even though some of us have indeed kinship connections, the land which claims us is as different as the harvest she gives to nourish us.

My community sits on Atikamekw land for which a Comprehensive Land Claim and Self-Government Negotiations currently being negotiated with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

My community may need to re-learn our Oral History. My community may need healing. My community may need Economic Development.

Settlers living on Atikamekw Land need Truth, Humility, Honesty, Wisdom, Respect, Courage and Love and implement all 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

My community will need to rekindle our kinship with the Atikamekw Nation and help our Community as Stewards of Nitaskinan.

Kwei. Qallunette nit icinikason!  Nitaskinan ni otcin. Ni mireriten!