Building trust

To the editor:
As many of us enjoyed the May long weekend, I’ve been thinking about the relationship between Couchiching First Nation and the Town of Fort Frances.
Four years ago, our community put a toll booth on the two-chain shore allowance (or thereabouts) portion of Highway 11, within what we asserted was the confines of our reserve lands.
I, myself, received $1 tolls in that toll booth as a member of Couchiching First Nation’s chief and council volunteering at various times during the 10 days the toll booth resided on the highway.
While I do not want to open old wounds, I want to apologize for the unilateral action we had taken. As neighbours, unilateral action that impacts the other community only will continue an adversarial relationship between us.
I was pleased to witness the efforts the Town of Fort Frances has taken to try to facilitate more positive communications with my council and my community over the past few weeks.
I am committed to building a trusting and lasting friendship with your leadership at the Town of Fort Frances, as I am committed to work with the entire district’s leadership on economic development and common issues.
Couchiching First Nation is an important community—you can witness that as the state of Minnesota has named the county after our historic village.
Couchiching Falls at Fort Frances also should be recognized as such.
I look forward to working with the Town of Fort Frances in recognizing our community in a proper manner. I also welcome more ways and ideas about how we can work together to make this area more of a tourism destination, as well as work together to save some of expense regarding infrastructure, recreation, and servicing costs for our communities.
We can do better by working together.
Miigwetch!
Chief Sara Mainville
Couchiching F.N.