NIPPISSING – The Anishinabek Nation flag was lowered at the Union of Ontario Indians head office this week to honour Chief Alfred Bisaillon of Thessalon First Nation. He passed into the Spirit World on Saturday.
Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says that he has known the long-time Chief since the early 1970s.
“Chief Bisaillon had quiet strength,” says Madahbee. “He was a caring man and always doing what was in the best interest of his community. He built it up to be a prosperous and modern community. He always had a smile on his face.”
This past September, Thessalon opened its Bio Centre – a unique resource for economic development. It has the capacity to produce elite plants and trees using cutting-edge technologies. It includes a 6000 square foot refrigeration building, 17 climate controlled greenhouses, and 100 acres of arable fields.
Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday from 2 – 9 pm and a funeral on Wednesday at 1 pm, both at the Thessalon Community Centre.
The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 40 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 60,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.
