'An emotional ride': Participants cross finish line of 4,275-km reconciliation snowmobile expedition

Robbie Tapiatic of Chisasibi, Que., held his face in his hands as he recalled how for the past 18 days, he prayed for Carol Dubé — the husband of the late Joyce Echaquan. 

Before getting on his Ski-Doo each day and driving in the snow for upwards of 12 hours at a time — leaving his face with scars from frostbite — Tapiatic recalled starting his mornings with prayer.

"Every morning I would ask my ancestors and my grandfathers, 'take me to the finish line,' and they did," said Tapiatic, wiping tears from his eyes.

On Saturday night, Tapiatic was one of 50 people who crossed into the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, near Sept-Îles, Que., completing what organizers believe to be one of the longest off-trail snowmobile expeditions in the world. 

Travelling alongside Dubé as part of the 4,275-kilometre snowmobile expedition, Tapiatic says the trip was centred around reconciliation.

WATCH | 'Mission accomplished,' says one organizer after trek across Quebec

The trip was designed to raise awareness for three main issues — the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, children who never came home from residential schools and the climate of racism that claimed the lives of Indigenous people, including Echaquan.

Echaquan died in a Joliette hospital in 2020 after video showed health-care staff hurling racist remarks at her. Her death, and the footage leading up to it, sparked outrage and activism, especially after a Quebec coroner reported that if Echaquan were white, she would still be alive.

Although Dubé was initially only supposed to join in the expedition for a few stops, he ended up staying for the entire trip, noted Tapiatic.

"I got to say, he's a very strong man," said Tapiatic. "He impressed me a lot and I'm really glad that I got to drive him and lead him."

Tapiatic noted that he and some of his close friends always dreamt of continuing their grandfathers' legacies — some of whom had traversed long distances by foot for weeks on end.

"We said we have to do our trip someday, try to follow our grandfathers' footsteps and all the teachings we got all throughout our lives," said Tapiatic. "And now we just accomplished the biggest expedition."

Tapiatic said the reunion with his family at the finish line on Saturday was particularly sweet.

After nearly a month away from home, he drove his Ski-Doo along a snow-covered path lined with excitable children and adults raising signs with messages of support for their loved ones.