North Bay Métis Council to plant ‘Métis Time Capsule’ on Louis Riel Day
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
November 16, 2021 at 1:00 PM (ET)
Kinsmen Beach North Bay
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) North Bay Métis Council (NBMC) will engage in some ground-breaking history as they plant their Métis Time Capsule at Kinsmen Beach on November 16, 2021.
It is fitting that the special ceremony take place on November 16 — a day of great significance for Métis people. The ceremony takes place on “Louis Riel Day,” a time when citizens across the MNO reflect on the Métis leader and his influence on Métis history and culture.
Proposed by the NBMC’s Legacy Preservation Project Committee, the Métis Time Capsule is filled with Métis messages and mementos submitted from across the province; including letters, prints, photos, artwork and more. The capsule will be recovered in 2085, on the 200th anniversary of Louis Riel’s death.
Attending the event are NBMC leadership, including NBMC President Susan Van Der Rassel, PCMNO Chair Hank Rowlinson, and local political leadership – North Bay Mayor Al McDonald, Minister Vic Fedeli and MP Anthony Rota. Also making remarks is Right Honourable Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell, who is attending ceremony as a special guest.
“In addition to receiving a submission from the Lieutenant Governor, we have also received contributions from the Provincial and Federal Government,” says NBMC Youth Representative Ish Van Der Rassel, who has helped coordinate the event. “And after the ceremony, we will be presenting the City of North Bay with a plaque to thank them for their help in sponsoring the time capsule project.”
The creation of the Métis Time Capsule was a creative and collective triumph for the Ontario Métis community, ensuring that Métis traditions, culture and legacy will live on, even if deep underground.
As Louis Riel urged, “We must cherish our inheritance … to preserve it … for the youth of the future;” and the Métis Time Capsule will ensure that these meaningful memories and hopeful messages will be passed along to future generations as well.
All local citizens are invited to attend the event, which will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, special remarks, hot drinks and snacks, in addition to the burial of the time capsule. A special draw will even reward participants with a surprise giveaway!