Treaties with First Nations in the West

Canada owns North-West Territories

• Fee settlers in the area; fear of Americans taking over land.

• Prime Minster Macdonald wants more settlers in Territories and he also wants to build his transcontinental railway.

Treaties with First Nations in the West

Canada needs to move settlers and railway crews into the territories

• Canada can not just move in; First Nations are living on this land and have been before the arrival of the Europeans

• Macdonald does not want the same conflicts that are going on between the First Nations and USA settlers.

• Arrangements had to be made to avoid conflict

Treaties with First Nations in the West

Law states that Canada did not have the right to take over the First Nations land without negotiating first

• Law created in 1763 by the King of England

• Royal Proclamation contained instructions on how BNA should be governed

• It stated that First Nations rights should be respected

Treaties with First Nations in the West

Macdonald sends government officials to make treaties with all nations of the North-West Territories

• 11 treaties signed between 1871 – 1921

Some lands would be kept in reserve for First Nations

Every Nation receives money from government each year, as well other support such as schools, farming supplies, and help in times of famine

Settlers would be allowed to live peacefully on First Nations traditional lands

Why did the First Nations Agree?

Some of the First Nations leader’s did not trust the Canadian government

• Thought it would be better for their people to not allow the new settlers on their lands

• Many debates in the communities

• Long talks with government representatives to sort out details

Why did the First Nations Agree?Continued

Most nations signed treaties • Many historians believe that the First Nations did

not have a choice

Late 1800s: First Nations people in the prairies experienced hardship• Buffalo was main source of food, shelter, and

clothing• The Buffalo was being killed off because of the

Europeans gun technology and they hunted the buffalo for sport

Why did the First Nations Agree?Continued

1/10th of First Nations’ population in the West died from starvation and Europeans diseases in 1883-1884 alone.

First Nations understood the importance of signing the treaties• They worked hard to make sure the treaties would give them

rights to their lands according to both First Nations and Canadian laws

• First Nations added other conditions to the treaties in order to make sure that their people would get what they needed to survive in this newly formed country

Red River & Métis

Overview

Red River Settlement

People: First Nations first Métis second, since

late 1700s• Central location for

supplying fur traders Lord Selkirk’s (1812)

Scottish colonists Settlers from Ontario

& Quebec most recent

Red River Settlement

Numbers: Total pop. 12 000 1600 Scottish

colonists, English Protestants (ON) and French Catholics (QE)

10 400 were Métis (French or British heritage)

Métis Nation

Separate people (Métis identity - history & culture)

Rights (based on First Nation heritage)

Early 1800s refer to themselves as nation

Protect identity and land right

Métis Language & Religion

Often spoke several languages

Red River Métis: French, English, one or more First Nation language, and Michif (French & Cree)

French -Catholic English/Scottish -

Protestant

Hello/Hi. Tánishi/boñjour. How are you? Tánishi kiya? I am fine. Nimiyou'ayan/zhi

baen. What is your name? Tánishi

eyishinikashoyan? My name is. Dishinikáshon.

Métis Buffalo Hunt

Main source of food Pemmican (dried

meat, fat, berries)• Keeps for years• Perfect long trips• Sold to fur traders

Hunt in Spring & Fall Well organized (like

army, strict rules)

Métis Farms

Farms were their homes Provided food sold to fur traders Farm work mostly done by women Never paid for land (no written - ownership) Hudson Bay Co. agreed to right to land (retired to farm)

http://www.metisresourcecentre.mb.ca/history/flag.htm