Red Rock Indian Band calls out feds after discovery of ancestral remains in Nipigon, Ont. [Video]

Red Rock Indian Band and surrounding First Nations are calling for accountability from the federal government over its handling of ancestral remains at a construction site in Nipigon, Ont.

The Ojibwe First Nation, located about 120 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, held a protest on Monday morning, where more than 200 people walked along the TransCanada Highway to the Nipigon River Bridge, briefly stopping traffic. 

In May, Parks Canada began excavation at the Nipigon Marina, where a new administration and visitor centre is being built for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area.

During construction, the remains of four Indigenous ancestors were uncovered. Carbon dating on the first set of remains showed they were buried in approximately 1404 AD, according to Red Rock Indian Band.

“That’s pre-contact,” said Chief Allan Odawa Jr. “We’ve been here since the beginning of time. Our ancestors protected the land, and now it’s our turn to protect our ancestors for future generations.”

Red Rock Indian Band believes the site could …