Christian Island is a large island in Georgian Bay close to the communities of Penetanguishene and Midland, Ontario. The island, with its neighbors Hope Island and Beckwith Island, is a 5,428.1 hectares (13,413.1 acres) Ojibwa reserve, known as Christian Island 30 Indian Reserve. Together with the 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) Christian Island 30A Indian Reserve located at Cedar Point, Ontario and the 3.1 hectares (7.7 acres) Chippewa Island Indian Reserve located in Twelve Mile Sound, 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi) north of Christian Island, they form the land base for the Beausoleil First Nation. Together with other First Nations in the area they have a land claim pending for lands situated between Matchedash Bay at Coldwater, and the narrows at Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. While the Chippewa Island reserve is shared among Beausoleil and two other First Nations, the two Christian Island reserves are not.

[edit] Background

Christian Island is primarily forest. The soil is mainly sand, remnants of Glacial Lake Algonquin. Interestingly, a pre-historic species of grass known as Forked three-awned grass or unofficially as "Ice Age Grass," has been found to be growing on the Island verifying it's glacial beginnings. Forked three-awned grass is currently designated as a species at risk.

Originally, Christian Island was known by the Ojibwa as Gichi Minising (At the Big Island), but was also known for a brief period by the Hurons, as Gahoendoe. The three islands were, in the 19th century, collectively known as the Christian Islands: Beckwith Island was called Faith Island, while Christian Island, which is the largest of the three, was known as Charity Island.

In 1649, Christian Island was briefly used as a refuge for Jesuit missionaries and Huron refugees from Sainte-Marie among the Hurons during the Huron-Iroquois wars. The Jesuits called the island St Joseph Island. The occupation of Christian Island by the fleeing Hurons and Jesuits is where the name "Christian" island comes from. It was named in honour of the Canadian Martyrs.

The Jesuits and most of the Huron refugees left the island and travelled to Quebec in the summer of 1650. The remaining Huron, along with the surviving remnants of the Petun, an Iroquoian group living at the base of the Niagara Escarpment near present-day Collingwood, left the island in 1651. The Petun had suffered serious losses in Iroquois raids in late 1649 and 1650. Their descendants eventually settled in the Detroit-Windsor area. Some were later forcibly resettled by U.S. authorities in Oklahoma.

Christian Island is inhabited by the the Beausoleil First Nation. Their ancestors, were nomadic and travelled from northern Georgian Bay, and the United States, around Lakes Huron, and Michigan. They were subject to an experiment by the early Canadian government to assimilate Native Americans into the larger society. They were encouraged to give up their nomadic ways and to settle at Coldwater in 1834-1842 as part of the Coldwater Narrows Reserve. Later they were displaced to Beausoleil Island in 1842, and still later, again were displaced to Christian Island in 1856 to present day.

The First Nation has tried various ways of generating income, including stocking the island with pheasants, a cattle operation, a charcoal operation, a commercial fishery and a portion of lands are designated for cottage leasing. Today, many of the residents work on the mainland and a growing community has sprung up on an annex of property at the Cedar Point landing. Hope and Beckwith islands are uninhabited, but (especially Beckwith) are popular anchorage sites for boaters, who are required to pay a small anchorage fee to the First Nation community.

The First Nation operates an elementary school, a health centre, and a community centre. 24 hour EMS service and a volunteer fire department operate year round.

There is a ferry service from the mainland at Cedar Point to Christian Island. A car ferry, the Sandy Graham travels the straight between the Point and the Island on a regular schedule. Another ferry, the Indian Maiden, carries passengers only. It is capable of breaking ice up to 6". A hovercraft also serves the island in case of emergency. At times of severe cold, the people build an ice road between the island and the mainland. Christian Island also has a lighthouse that marks the southern tip of the islands and was used in the past for ships travelling from Collingwood to Penetanguishene, Midland, and Parry Sound.

Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot penned a song about Christian Island in 1972 (In the lee of Christian Island), alluding to the popularity of the island as a sailing area.

[edit] Governance and Council

Beausoleil First Nation Chief & Council

Beausoleil First Nation Council consists of 10 Councillors and 1 Chief. The General Election held on July 4, 2008 resulted in the following:

Chief: Rodney Monague Jr. Chief Councillor: Allan Manitowabi Councillor: Dwayne King Councillor: Owen Monague Councillor: Arnold Jamieson Jr. Councillor: Susan Copegog Councillor: Mary Reid Councillor: Neil Monague Councillor: Janet Sylvester Councillor: Melvin King Councillor: Elizabeth Brass Elson

[edit] External links

• chimnissing.ca
• INAC profile

Coordinates: 44°50′N 80°12′W / 44.833°N 80.2°W / 44.833; -80.2