Teme-Augama Anishnabai

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The Teme-Augama Anishnabai (TAA) is the Aboriginal community of the Temagami First Nation. The TAA have trapped and hunted animals in the Temagami region of Canada for over 5,000 years. Bear Island on Lake Temagami is home to the Aboriginal community.

In 1973, The Teme-Augama Anishnabai exercised a land caution against development on the Crown land of 10,000 square kilometres-most of the Temagami area. The attorney-general of Ontario pursued legal action against the Band for this caution. The TAA lost this court case in 1984 and the Band proceeded with an Appeal to the Supreme Court. The Band lost this Appeal and eventually the Caution was lifted.

In 1988, the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources, Vince Kerrio approved the expansion of the Red Squirrel logging road, directly through Anishnabe territory. This prompted a series of roadblocks by the TAA and by environmentalists in 1988-1989.

In 1991, the TAA and the Ontario government (now NDP) created the Wendaban Stewardship Authority to decide what to do with the four counties near the logging road. The committee eventually dissolved. An agreement is currently being negotiated and a decision to accept the agreement will be happening in 2007.