The following information was taken from the publication: Fort William First Nation: Forward-Looking Solutions To Past Problems (originally published 1999)
Long before the first European explorers set foot on what is now known as Canada, the ancestors of the present-day members of Fort William First Nation (FWFN) lived along the north shore of Lake Superior near the mouth of the Kaministikquia River.  Settlers from eastern Canada and from Europe found the area attractive too, as demonstrated by the growth of the adjacent City of Thunder Bay.  Originally two separate towns by the names of Port Arthur and Fort William.
The Fort William Reserve was created in 1853, as a condition of the Robertson Superior Treaty.  The Chief and Headmen who signed the treaty intended that the Reserve would provide not just for their children, but for grandchildren's children.  However, most of the best Reserve land was taken within about three generations.
The following articles will explain why and how Fort William First Nation is negotiating to restore these land takings to the extent possible.  It also describes the unique Fort William Pilot Project through which compensation from Canada is being negotiated for land takings that were illegal or for land sold by the Department of Indian Affairs for a value far less than its worth.  Fort William will invest compensation money from Canada in economic development initiatives to benefit  its members of the First Nation in ways such as increased employment, housing and improved infrastructure on the Reserve.  The Chief and council are also working with the City of Thunder Bay, the Province of Ontario and the Federal Government on initiatives such as the development of an Industrial Park on land returned by Canadian national Railways, to stimulate growth and development not just on the Reserve, but in the Thunder Bay Region as a whole.
More About: The Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850 Lost Land Land & Opportunities Regained A New Way To Negotiate Summary Of Claims Future Economic Development Map of Fort William First Nations  High Resolution Map of Fort William First Nations  Low Resolution
News Letter Archive Land Claim News & Updates Letter #1  Pilot Project For Specific Claims - August 1998 Letter #2  Pilot Project For Specific Claims - October 1998 Letter #3  Pilot Project For Specific Claims - January 1999 Letter #4  Pilot Project For Specific Claims - April 1999 Letter #5  Progress Report To Members On Land Negotiations - August 2000 Letter #6  Unavailable at this time Letter #7  Progress Report To Members On Land Negotiations - April 2001 Letter #8  Tentative Settlement On Rifle Range Claim - January 2002