Hundreds gathered in Uashat mak Mani-Utenam to welcome 50 participants of the First Nations Expedition a 4,275-kilometre snowmobile journey through Indigenous communities, which honoured the late Joyce Echaquan and promoted reconcilitation.
Organizers say the First Nations Expedition is the longest off-trail snowmobile expedition ever attempted and carries a message of reconciliation, education and a desire to reconnect different Indigenous nations across Quebec.
A northern Quebec team of snowmobilers says a three-day practice run to the far eastern reaches of Cree territory has helped them prepare for an epic Indigenous-led snowmobile expedition planned for next winter.
Organizers made the decision to postpone the expedition against a backdrop of ongoing challenges caused by the Omicron wave of COVID-19, which has hit some of the Indigenous communities the riders planned to visit particularly hard.