A Legacy in the Land: Four Generations at Pukaskwa National Park

By: The Otiquam Family

For the Otiquam family, Parks Canada is more than a workplace. It’s a family legacy rooted in the land along Lake Superior and carried forward through four generations. That story began decades ago, when Kristy Otiquam’s grandfather helped cut the original boundary of what would become Pukaskwa National Park. Within that line, he maintained traplines that supported his family, never knowing that his work would help define a park; a tradition that would endure through generations.

Kristy’s mother, Sharon Ostberg, carried that connection forward. As a young woman, Sharon had a dream that gold would be discovered in the area, a park would be created, and one day she would be in charge. While the gold never came, the park did. Sharon devoted her career to Pukaskwa, working in finance and visitor services. She later lead the management team at Pukaskwa before becoming the Superintendent for the Northern Ontario Field Unit. During her last year before retirement, she lead the project to create Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Kristy’s father, Clarence Otiquam, also contributed to Pukaskwa’s story, serving as the park’s maintenance supervisor until his retirement.

Growing up surrounded by this legacy, Kristy didn’t always envision herself following the same path. Still, she helped her mom during busy year-end deadlines and eventually joined Parks Canada as a student through the Futures Program. She worked with the Friends of Pukaskwa, at the park entrance kiosk, and later stepped into finance when a reorganization left the role vacant. That “temporary” position became her career. Now, with 31 years of service, Kristy continues as a Finance Administration Officer, a role that keeps her closely tied to the park she considers home.

Today, that legacy continues through Kristy’s children.

Jayla, Kristy’s daughter, never expected to work for Parks Canada either. “I had other interests,” she laughs, echoing her mom’s experience. When she needed a summer job, Kristy encouraged her to give it a try. Jayla credits her mom and brother with helping her see that work can be enjoyable. “They helped me realize jobs can be fun, instead of sitting in an office all day.” While working with family comes with challenges, it also brings comfort. A sense of familiarity and belonging that mirrors how her mom feels about Pukaskwa.

Kristy’s son, Karson, also didn’t plan on working at the park. He thought he would go into the trades until an opportunity arose to join the fire crew. “I loved it, and I still do,” he says. Now a Resource Management Technician with eight months of service, Karson’s favourite part of the job is being out on the land.

Karson has worked alongside cousins on the fire crew, an experience he describes as both fun and meaningful. What stands out most to him, though, is encountering the work of previous generations. “I’ve come across a lot of work my family completed,” he says. “It’s a different feeling seeing it, knowing I’m the fourth generation to work here.” If he could trade roles with a family member from the past, Karson would choose his great grandfather’s position on the backcountry trail crew – a role that reflects his love for the land.

Across generations, the lessons passed down remain the same: the importance of hard work, respect for the land, and responsibility to those who come to experience it. When asked how it feels to be part of a four-generation Parks Canada tradition, the answer is unanimous: it feels normal.

For Kristy, Pukaskwa has always been home. For Jayla, it’s a safe place where family stories naturally return to the park and how it changed over time. For Karson, it’s where past and present meet – on trails, on fire lines, and out on the land.

Photo credits: Rocky Mountain Photo Company