Forillon’s Reckoning: Heritage as Strategy in a Divided Past

GASPÉ, QC – June 17, 2026 – More than half a century after a painful expropriation, a new chapter is being written on the Gaspé Peninsula. A renewed collaboration between Parks Canada, the Musée de la Gaspésie, and the Association of Persons Expropriated from Forillon and their Descendants is underway, focused on a collection of 12,500 historical objects. This initiative is far more than a curatorial exercise; it represents a strategic reckoning with a difficult past and offers a blueprint for how institutions can transform historical liabilities into assets of immense cultural and economic value.

At stake is the legacy of 225 families forcibly removed from their lands in the 1970s to create Forillon National Park. The collection—containing everything from fishing implements to family furniture—is the tangible ghost of that community. Now, by working directly with those it displaced, Parks Canada is not just preserving artifacts; it is rebuilding trust and redefining the very concept of a national park for the 21st century.

A Painful Foundation

To understand the significance of today's collaboration, one must look back to the park’s contentious creation. In 1970, Forillon was established as Quebec’s first national park, a move intended to preserve its stunning natural landscapes and boost regional tourism. But this vision of an untouched wilderness came at a profound human cost. The process involved the mass expropriation of nearly 1,200 landowners, including 225 families whose roots in the area ran deep.

Accounts from the time depict a process that was swift and brutal. Residents were given little compensation for their properties and businesses. In a move that left indelible scars, many of their homes and buildings were burned down by the government to hasten the return of the land to a “natural” state. Families were scattered, severing the tight-knit social and economic fabric of communities like Grande-Grave and Cap-des-Rosiers. The trauma of this displacement echoed for decades, a dissonant note in the park’s beautiful symphony of cliffs and sea.

Resistance from residents at the time is credited with influencing changes to the National Parks Act, ensuring such forced removals would not be repeated. Yet, it took until 2011 for the Canadian House of Commons to issue a formal apology to the expropriated families. This long-overdue acknowledgment was a critical turning point, paving the way for the deeper, more collaborative reconciliation efforts we see taking shape today.

The Silent Witnesses Speak

The current initiative centers on the 12,500 objects that make up Forillon's historical collection. Of these, over 4,100 artifacts came directly from the expropriated families. These are not mere museum pieces; they are, as the Association’s president describes them, silent witnesses to a life that was abruptly ended. A working group, established in 2023 with representatives from the Association, the Musée de la Gaspésie, and Parks Canada, is now undertaking the meticulous task of assessing each item.

This process involves documenting the objects, evaluating their condition, and determining their heritage value, ensuring that conservation efforts are focused on the most significant pieces. For the descendants, it’s a deeply personal undertaking. As Ms. Hermeline Smith, President of the Association of Persons Expropriated from Forillon and their Descendants, states, “This collection is about more than just objects: it's a living testimony of our roots and our history. We want it to be recognized, respected and passed on to future generations. For us, these artifacts are tangible links with our ancestors and a vehicle for memory, recognition and reconciliation.”

This sentiment is echoed by the project's partners. “The Musée de la Gaspésie is delighted to be involved in this project, whose importance extends beyond the region,” says Ms. Vicky Boulay, the museum's Curator. “We are honoured to support the Association and Parks Canada in the evaluation and enhancement of these cultural resources, which tell an important part of Gaspésie history.”

The federal agency, for its part, frames the collaboration as a fusion of expertise and values. “Together, we are deepening our understanding of our collective heritage and ensuring the long-term preservation of the most significant objects, so that this history is never forgotten,” notes Mathieu Côté, Forillon National Park Superintendent.

An Evolving Institutional Mandate

This project at Forillon is a powerful case study in Parks Canada's evolving mandate. The agency, which manages over 200 sites, is increasingly moving beyond a narrow focus on natural conservation to embrace the complex human histories interwoven with its landscapes. The park’s 2023 management plan explicitly recognizes that the pre-park occupation “remains evident and has an important heritage value.”

This represents a crucial strategic shift. In a world demanding greater transparency and social responsibility from its institutions, acknowledging and addressing past injustices is no longer optional—it is essential for maintaining a social license to operate. The Forillon initiative, along with other actions like extending free park access to six generations of descendants and investing $9.8 million in restoring heritage buildings in Grande-Grave, demonstrates a long-term commitment to this new paradigm.

By giving the descendants a central role in stewardship, Parks Canada is creating a model for how government bodies can manage sites with contentious pasts. It is a move from a top-down, custodial approach to a collaborative one, where heritage is co-managed with the communities whose stories it tells. This approach not only fosters reconciliation but also enriches the visitor experience, adding layers of meaning and authenticity to the landscape. The development of digital tools to improve public access to the collection will further ensure this once-buried history is shared widely, serving as both a lesson and a memorial.

Ultimately, the collaboration is a strategic investment in the future. By confronting its past, Parks Canada is not only healing old wounds but also building a more resilient and relevant institution, one that recognizes that our natural heritage is inseparable from our human story.