In March 1996, the North America Project received an invitation from the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, to
provide a presence with regard to a conflict with their reserve at Rapid Lake, Quebec. In January of the
same year, the Federal Department of Indian Affairs had formally recognized an Interim Band Council for
the Barriere Lake reserve, which displaced the previous council and its chief of the past 16 years, Jean-
Maurice Matchewan. This act was the result of an ongoing conflict on the reserve between Matchewan and
his supporters, on the one hand, and another group who had been opposed to him, on the other.
A NAP team was present at a blockade in which Matchewan's supporters barred the Interim Band Council from the reserve. NAP was also present for the traditional selection process for a new chief.