Atikamekw baby to be reburied in home community more than 70 years after death

After a gap of more than seven decades, an Atikamekw infant buried far from his kin in Quebec City is set to be returned to his hometown for a final farewell. Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks, this news emerged after 12 years of tireless pursuit by the Maxime Ottawa family. On October 26, 2026, Baby Maxime will make his way back to Manawan, the Atikamekw community situated approximately 250 kilometers north of Montreal.

Maxime, the brother of reporter Manon Ottawa's father, Henri Ottawa, was taken from his hometown, Manawan, to La Tuque for medical care when he was just six months old, in 1954. Without his parents' knowledge, he was eventually transferred to Quebec City, where he passed away on October 5, 1954, after 43 days in the hospital. His parents only learned of his demise two years later, and could not hold a funeral to bid him farewell according to their customs.

The family's quest for justice culminated in obtaining authorization from Quebec Superior Court to exhume Maxime's remains for a forensic examination to confirm his identity and, if successful, permit his reburial in Manawan. The cemetery records show Maxime was interred in a plot with five individuals, while the two adjacent plots contained four and five individuals, respectively, all of them Indigenous.

Post a year of testing, on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the family received confirmation that the remains were indeed those of Maxime Ottawa. Manon Ottawa expressed that the revelation carried a profound significance on this day of reconciliation. She emphasized that reconciliation transcends mere words and necessitates uncovering the truth and honoring the dignity of families.

Maxime's ordeal is one among several concerning Indigenous children who vanished or succumbed after being admitted to Quebec hospitals decades ago, leaving families in a state of perpetual uncertainty. In 2020, Indigenous leaders advocated for distinct legislation to facilitate families' access to medical records and religious archives to ascertain what befell their children.

Subsequently, in 2021, the province enacted legislation enabling families to access specific records maintained by health institutions, government entities, and religious organizations. Maxime's remains are slated to return to Manawan on Monday, followed by a reburial ceremony on Wednesday, a solemn occasion to commemorate his life and the traditions of his community.

The family expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to bringing Maxime home after a long period of ambiguity.