CHIEFS OF ONTARIO
50th Anniversary Documentary
About the Project
COO at 50 is a feature documentary about the social and political transformation of Indigenous peoples in Ontario through fifty years of political advocacy, leadership, and a profound love for the people and communities COO serves.
The project aims to document and explore the Chiefs of Ontario’s historical and ongoing role in Indigenous advocacy, governance, and rights, from the 1970s to the present. It emphasizes the organization’s leadership in pivotal moments of Indigenous struggle and transformation, highlighting key events shaping Indigenous rights, land claims, and governance in Ontario. The project will showcase the Chiefs of Ontario’s influence in treaty rights, self-governance, justice reform, environmental stewardship, education, and reconciliation through archival footage, interviews, and visual storytelling. Each decade of the project focuses on significant milestones, starting with early land claim disputes in the 1970s and the push for self-governance, moving through constitutional recognition in the 1980s, and addressing issues like the Sixties Scoop and the Ipperwash Crisis in the 1990s. The 2000s and 2010s further explore environmental conflicts, resource management, and the impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The project integrates historical and modern contexts, illustrating how the Chiefs of Ontario has consistently been a driving force behind Indigenous rights and governance.
The project will also use key visual assets and film locations that ground the narrative in tangible moments of resistance, legal victories, and cultural reclamation. The goal is to document history and explore the ongoing transformation of Indigenous governance, identity, and sovereignty, positioning the Chiefs of Ontario as a vital institution in shaping Indigenous futures. This retrospective will serve as a historical reflection and a call to action for continued advocacy, justice, and reconciliation
We want to hear from you! Your contributions will help us capture and honor the rich history of First Nations governance and advocacy in Ontario.
We are seeking archival materials to bring this important story to life, including:
- Photos
- Videos
- Newspaper articles
- Documents
- Other historical artifacts
If your materials are used in the documentary, you will be credited in the final film!
How to Submit
Use the form here to upload your materials. If your files are too large to upload, please contact declan.keogh@coo.org or isak.vaillancourt@coo.org to arrange file sharing.
Questions?
For more information, please contact Ryan McMahon, Executive Producer and Director of the documentary at mooseguts@gmail.com
Together, let’s document the Chiefs of Ontario’s incredible journey and inspire the next 50 years of advocacy, leadership, and resilience.