1979 – 1982
Summary:
In August 1979, a commercial harvester arrived at Mud Lake, the land of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nations and shared with neighboring residents, to harvest manòmin, meaning “gift of the Creator” in Anishinaabemowin, and known to settlers as wild rice.
Harold Perry, the traditional caretaker of manòmin, clearly stated the relationship between Indigenous people to manòmin, launching resistance on local, provincial and national levels against decisions to zone Mud Lake and provide commercial harvesting licenses to companies such as Lanark Wild Rice. The battle occurred between August 1979 until September 1982, and involved informal hearings and meetings, formal court hearings, and a 24-hour watch organized at Mud Lake. Finally, on August 30th, a standoff occurred involving 27 police cruisers, police officers, members of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the entire community at Mud Lake. In an act of resistance towards the forceful actions of the OPP, who were forcefully disregarding the wishes of the community, as well as in an act of protection of the manòmin, the local residents entered the water in boats and canoes to protect the fields.
This collision not only united Indigenous peoples and settlers sharing a common land, but also brought up important questions relating to claims to Indigenous rights. Although a clear decision had not been agreed in writing, manòmin at Mud Lake has been protected by the Ardoch Algonquin First Nations and community members from commercial harvesting since 1981.
Full Story:
“Manòmin exists in relation to everything around it. The water (Nibi in Algonquin) flows all around the plant and brings nourishment to it. The roots exist in relationship to the mud and sand and they exist in relation to the water and Manòmin. The fish and insects in the water also exist in relation to Manòmin and the water, as well as the sand and mud and all other things that also exist in this aquatic environment. The phrase All My Relations really applies in this context and reminds us that we have relationships with all part of the Natural World within our homeland.”
– Ardoch Algonquin First Nations website
Manòmin, in Anishinaabemowin, means “gift of the Creator,” and is an annual self-seeding aquatic plant that grows in the riverbanks of flowing waters. When the seed of the plant ripens, it falls to the bottom of the water, where it is able to germinate within the following years. Not all seeds fall at the same time, and not all seeds germinate within the same year, which means that some years may have a better harvest than others. Manòmin is sensitive to water depth, and only grows within a suitable range. Manòmin has played a significant role in Anishnaabe (Mississauga and Algonquin) life, not only as a natural resource, but also as a gift from the Creator (Manitou), meant for the well-being of the people.
Ardoch is a small hamlet in rural Ontario about 60 kilometers north of Kingston. Ardoch Algonquins were pushed to live in this “marginal and unsettled land” due to devastating “illegal logging operations,” as well as racism which prevented Ardoch Algonquin men from respectable jobs and relegated women to “being chore girls or worse” [1, 2]. Being displaced and relocated, Ardoch Algonquins were in need of some source of food, so a member of the community, Mary Whiteduck, went to Rice Lake at Alderville to bring rice to Mud Lake, sometime around the 1890s. She brought the manòmin in “balls of mud so that they would not dry out” [3], and planted them in hopes that this would support her community. The manòmin grew well, and soon it began to attract other communities from Rice Lake, where the manòmin was in a state of decline, to move west. Throughout this time, the descendants of Mary Whiteduck were responsible for acting as the caretakers of manòmin, which involved the difficult work of gathering seeds in the fall and storing them in sacks of frozen water during the fall for planting in the spring. Harold Perry assumed this responsibility in 1974, when his father, Richard Perry, passed away.
In late August of 1979, a man in a mechanical harvesting boat arrived in Mud Lake with a valid permit for Lanark Wild Rice (LWR) from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to harvest “wild rice” for commercial purposes. This license, which was granted without consulting Indigenous residents or other community members, drew attention to the relationship between a people (the strong community of Algonquin, Mississauga and other families living in the area) and a resource (which the community relied on and was a part of the community heritage) in a place (that had developed meaning to a displaced, dispossessed, marginalized people) [3]. This first initial commercial harvest, as well as the resulting Wild Rice Harvesting Act (WHRA) hearing, brought about the collision of the local system of governance, management, and authority with the provincial system; both unaware of, while being influenced by the other. In particular, the failure of the provincial government system to consult the residents resulted in their lack of understanding regarding the significance, history, and pre-existing management system of manòmin.
As a result of this collision, resistance began to occur on the local, provincial, and national levels. On May 8, 1980, Harold Perry was very clear in a letter to the MNR, stating that he “lay claim to wild rice by Aboriginal right” and that no permits should be issued until “claims, legal rights and liabilities are resolved” [4]. This caused confusion surrounding rights to the 1980 manòmin harvest, occurring in August and September. As a result, in July 1980 a hearing was chaired by W.A. Buchan of Regional Mining Lands Administrator, North-western Region (Kenora) in order to determine rights to the harvest. Residents of the Ardoch community, including both Indigenous peoples and settlers in the area, were provided a late notice and were invited to “offer their views on the harvesting licence” [3]. At the hearing, the Ardoch community indicated their frustration, not only with the late notice, but also with the ‘third party’ status they were given at the hearing, which prevented “a more vigorous defence of our indigenous rights to the rice and our concern for, the fish, and waterfowl of Mud Lake” [5]. Key aspects of this first hearing involved a presentation of the oral history and significance of manòmin to the community by Harold Perry, a description of the local governance and management system of the manòmin, and evidence presented by Dr. Isobel Bailey (Wetlands specialist, Department of Biology, Carleton University) stating the fragility of the ecology, particularly for the non-indigenous rice. Furthermore, under the WRHA, the MNR argued that in order to harvest wild rice, members of the Ardoch community must obtain a license — however, this had not been communicated to the community. Evidently not understanding the spiritual and community aspects of manòmin for the Ardoch Algonquin First Nations, as well as their concerns with the dangers that commercial farming would pose to the ecology of the region, Mr. Buchan recommended that LWR be granted their license, that the Indigenous families and local residents be allowed to harvest through a license, and that the latter be granted the first choice in terms of area for harvesting. However, the Deputy Minister, Dr. Reynolds, determined in the end to deny the harvesting license to LWR for the 1980 harvesting period and to allow the community to harvest, although they were required to first obtain a license.
After the 1980 harvest season, another request was sent to the MNR requesting a license for the LWR to harvest wild rice at Mud Lake. Included in the request was the recommendation by Mr. Buchan, as well as a statement that traditional harvesting methods were ‘wasteful’ as they had observed wild rice to be floating on the water. This statement demonstrates the LWR’s inability to understand the necessity for some wild rice seeds to be left alone, such that they may sink and reseed for growth in future years. As a response, a meeting was held in November, which resulted in a change in the Deputy Minister’s July decision. However, no Indigenous or non-Indigenous residents were invited to the meeting or notified of the changes. It wasn’t until the following 1981 harvest season, when Harold Perry was collecting his harvesting license, that he learned that Mud Lake had been zoned into three portions: a portion for the Métis, a portion for commercial harvesting (with a license already issued to LWR), and a portion for others.
Upon learning about this, Harold Perry wrote a letter to the MNR, stating that the zoning of Mud Lake “will destroy the spirit of wilful sharing” [6]. He wrote:
“I will receive my licence under protest and inform you that I intend to use whatever legal means possible to change these policies. I want you to be warned that political, public and legal means will be brought to bear on your Ministry as well as the current government in order that our heritage and rights are protected on Mud Lake” [6].
At this point, there was no time for another hearing before the 1981 harvest season. The community, including the Ardoch Algonquin First Nations, as well as non-Aboriginal residents supporting their neighbours, responded with increased resistance to this plan. The community drafted a document of their position, along with their intentions to resist commercial harvesting at Mud Lake. They state:
“In order to resist this ‘taking’ we will use legal, political, and civil disobedience to accomplish our resolve. Henceforth, until the harvest is over, we will join with our Indian friends in patrolling the lake and confronting any attempt to harvest rice for commercial purposes” [7].
On August 19th, 1981, LWR was issued a license to harvest the following week. Protest demonstrations were expected, and Harold Perry assured the MNR that there would be a confrontation. The Ardoch community became a site of tension, with tents and a 24-hour watch organized. LWR representatives, who had intended to check if the rice was ready on August 24th and 25th, were intimidated by the protestors, and required an OPP cruiser to assess crops. On August 29th, the first attempt to bring a mechanical harvester, along with two OPP cruisers, occurred — however, they retreated due to fear of the escalating conflict.
On August 30th, LWR made another attempt to bring a mechanical harvester into Mud Lake. The OPP blocked a road running along Mud Lake, in hopes that this would allow them space to determine the shortest access from the road into the lake. This action mobilized the residents of Ardoch, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, as they felt that their wishes were being forcefully disregarded. In an act of resistance towards the forceful actions of the OPP, as well as in an act of protection of the manòmin, the local residents entered the water in boats and canoes to protect the fields.
Meanwhile, the OPP was at work locating the narrowest point from the road to the lake. When this point was determined, Robert Lovelace requested that before the mechanical harvester be placed in the water, that the distance be measured. The distance turned out to exceed the maximum road allowance distance by less than a meter, meaning the landowners of the property must grant access for the boat to cross their private property. The owners refused, forcing the OPP to withdraw, as there was no longer any means by which they could enter the lake. The harvest for the 1981 season was protected from commercial harvesting.
On September 3, 1981, another meeting was held to discuss the outcome of manòmin at Mud Lake. Again, the community presented their case, concluding that since the license had been granted, they were willing to share, “but only on the basis that LWR harvest in a canoe, using the traditional method, and that no commercial harvesting should be permitted after 1981” [3, 8]. Although the meeting seemed to have gone well, when the written response was received from the MNR, it did not indicate the consensus that the community had thought had been reached, and remained vague about the outcome of harvesting licenses [9]. Robert Lovelace sent a letter to the MNR stating that this was unacceptable to the community, further stating that the decision “did not reflect our representation of Mr. Perry’s indigenous rights to the wild rice on Mud Lake” [10].
The second and final hearing took place as a two-day event on November 30 and December 1, 1981. At this hearing, the various groups involved, including Lanark Wild Rice, the Ministry of Natural Resources, local non-Indigenous peoples, ‘Status-Indian’ representatives, local community technical supports (largely including scientists), and local ‘Non-Status Indian’/Métis Representatives, presented their interests, concerns, opinions, and stances regarding manòmin harvesting at Mud Lake. On behalf of the Indian, Métis, and Settlers Wild Rice Association (IMSet), Robert Lovelace provided the closing remarks, during which he proposed an informal contract that would provide the sole harvesting license at Mud Lake to IMSet. He ensured that IMSet would be responsible for sustainable management, and would engage in job creation in years when the harvest was very good.
On April 20, 1982, MNR issued a press release with the final decision of the hearing, stating that they would continue with the zoning process, providing 70% of the rice to local users and 30% for commercial harvesting. The reasons for the decision were stated as economic concerns regarding Ontario’s out-of-province wild rice market as well as job creations. IMSet rejected this decision, and forwarded a letter stating that “IMSet will continue to exercise its indigenous rights and will continue to control the use of wild rice at Mud Lake, Ardoch” [2]. Robert Lovelace also sent a letter on behalf of the community, stating that they would apply for a licence and provide the names of harvesters if “the Ministry would acknowledge the unresolved jurisdictional dispute, and accept that by applying for or receiving a licence it did not waive or discredit those concerns [11]. A letter was received in return, which stated:
“I am issuing this licence, recognizing that there are unsettled disputes concerning Indian rights, Constitutional rights and jurisdiction. It is agreed that neither the application for the licence nor the issuance of the licence will jeopardize our respective positions in the ultimate resolution of these disputes” [12].
Since the hearing, no commercial harvesters, including LWR, have attempted to harvest at Mud Lake. The actions of community members at Mud Lake represent the determination of an Indigenous community protecting a crop of spiritual importance from commercial harvesting, as well as a community of non-Indigenous settlers who cared about the cause and supported the efforts of the Indigenous communities that they shared a space with. Harold Perry passed away in April of 2019. Mud Lake has since been rebranded a conservation area for hiking and birdwatching.
1. OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library. Binder: “First Nations Part 1-4”. Pages 37-70.
2. AAFNA. 1982. “IMSet Press release, July 12, 1982.” AAFNA files.
3. DeLisle, Susan B. 2001. Coming out of the shadows: Asserting identity and authority in a layered homeland: The 1979-82 Mud Lake wild rice confrontation. Kingston: Queen’s University Department of Geography. Masters of Arts.
4. Perry, Harold. 1980. “Letter to Mr. Vonk (District Manager: Tweed) from Harold Perry, May 8, 1980.” AAFNA files. Archives of Ontario, RG 1-8 file Indians: Wild Rice 1980.
5. AAFNA. 1980. “The Residents of ARDOCH and Surrounding Communities.” Submission to the WRHA hearing July 24, 1980. AAFNA files.
6. Perry, Harold. 1981. “Letter to Mr. Vonk (District Manager: Tweed MNR) from Harold Perry, Aug 18, 1981.” AAFNA files.
7. AAFNA. 1981. “Press release, August 20, 1981.” AAFNA files.
8. AAFNA. 1981. “Minutes: September 3, 1981 meeting: Issue of Commercial Wild Rice Harvesting License to Lanark Wild Rice Company in Mud Lake at Ardoch, Ontario, Sept 3, 1981.” AAFNA files.
9. Coghill, Paul. 1981. “Letter to Bob Lovelace from Paul Coghill, Sept 16, 1981.” AAFNA files.
10. Lovelace, B. 1981. “Letter to Alan Pope from Bob Lovelace, on behalf of the local community, September 25, 1981.” AAFNA files.
11. Lovelace, B. 1982. “Letter to Alan Pope from Mr. Lovelace, August 25, 1982.” Archives of Ontario, RG 1-8 file Indians: Wild Rice 1982.
12. Lovelace, B. 1982. “Letter to Mr. Pope from Mr. Lovelace, September 3, 1982,.” Archives of Ontario, RG 1-8 file Indians: Wild Rice 1982
Additional Sources:
AAFNA. 1980. “Oral history document.” AAFNA files.
———. 1981. “Transcript: Wild Rice Hearing, November 30 – December 1, 1981.” AAFNA files.
———. 2015. “Ardoch Algonquin First Nation.” AAFNA.com. Web. http://www.aafna.ca/.
Dare, Patrick. 1981a. “Lake blockaded against rice harvest.” Ottawa Citizen.
———. 1981b. “Wild-rice dispute simmer on.” Ottawa Citizen.
Green, Jeff. 2004a. “Manomin – a family legacy that sparked a rice war – Part One.” LAND O’ LAKES NewsWeb. | OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library “First Nations Par 1” pg. 38.
———. 2004b. “Manomin Keezis – The Rice Wars of 1981 (Part 2).” LAND O’ LAKES NewsWeb. | OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library “First Nations Par 1” pg. 39.
———. 2004c. “Commemorating the Wild Rice Victory in Ardoch.” LAND O’ LAKES NewsWeb. | OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library “First Nations Par 1” pg. 40.
———. 2004d. “Algonquin Land Claim in Ontario – a brief history.” LAND O’ LAKES NewsWeb. | OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library “First Nations Par 1” pg. 41.
———. 2004e. “A split among the families – the Ardoch Algonquin story Part 4.” LAND O’ LAKES NewsWeb. | OPIRG Kingston’s Alternative Resource Library “First Nations Par 1” pg. 42.
Lovelace, B., 1997 Our Story: the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, (documentary video) Manomin Productions:Kingston.
Perry, Harold. 1980a. “Documented oral history by Harold Perry.” AAFNA files.
Robin, Laura. 1981. “Wild, wild race caper ends one meter shy of goal.” Ottawa Citizen.
Taber, Jane. 1980a. “Villagers fight to save wild rice crop.” Ottawa Citizen.
———. 1980b. “Townsfolk awarded wild rice crop.” Ottawa Citizen.
Willsey, Ralph. 1980. “Wild-rice rights focus of dispute: Who will harvest Mud Lake’s crop?” Kingston Whig Standard.
———. 1981a. “Tradition and efficiency square off on the shores of Mud Lake.” Kingston Whig Standard.
———. 1981b. “Mud Lake protesters block launching of rice harvester.” Kingston Whig Standard.
———. 1981. “Victory at Mud Lake! Villagers win rice war.” Kingston Whig Standard.