the native treaties
TRANSCRIPT
THE NATIVE TREATIES
MOTIVATIONS
The goal of the Canadian government (PM Macdonald) was to open the prairies to Canadian and European settlement and the railway Aboriginal title had to be
settled first 1870 – all land other than
the Selkirk settlement still held by aboriginal nations
NEGOTIATIONS
Treaty negotiations began in 1870 with the Native Peoples and the Department of Indian Affairs
Indian Commissioner W. Simpson sent to Manitoba to begin talks with the
Cree and Saulteaux peoples. Concluded Treaties 1 and 2
(August, 1871)
HISTORICAL INDIAN TREATIEShttp://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/topics/1238/
SEVEN TREATIES
Manitoba Natives signed away their claim to traditional homeland
Government wanted the land Little room for negotiation Settlement could not take place till
Native title to land was terminated Natives had no options – starving,
disease, death
TERMS: PROMISE VS. REALITY
Natives wanted to retain 60% of their land Simpson told to offer
160 acres for every family of 5, Farm equipment Supplies Farming instruction
Offer not really acceptable to natives but they knew it was the only offer
Final size of reserves very small compared to original Native territory
REALITY FOR NATIVES
Government had no intention of living up to promises
Natives welcomed chance to farm as traditional lifestyle went with the extermination of the bison herds
Standards of living declined Promised tools, supplies, and
animals never materialized
GOVERNMENT BLAMES NATIVES
Government blames natives for their own problems Didn’t want Native to prosper or sell
surplus wheat for cash “unnatural for Natives to use machinery”
yet could not farm w/o it Natives abandon farming and
dependent on govt by end of 19th C
MORE CHANGES
5 more treaties concluded between 1874 – 1877 Government gained access to all land suitable to
agriculture Indian Act, 1876
Natives required to live on reserves Native children had to attend residential schools
Catholic missionaries Hired as translators Encouraged Natives to sign treaties to avoid starvation Felt natives could be more productive members of
society
Complete cultural destruction for the Natives
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
The Canadian government believed it was responsible for educating and caring for aboriginal people. Best to learn English and adopt Christianity and Canadian
customs. Ideally, native traditions would diminish, or be completely
abolished in a few generations.
Policy called "aggressive assimilation" to be taught at church-run, government-funded industrial schools, later called residential schools. children were easier to mould than adults, and boarding school
was the best way to prepare them for life in mainstream society. Attendance was mandatory. Agents were employed by the government to ensure all native
children attended.
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS CONT.
At its peak in 1939, there were 800 schools operating in Canada.
Last one closed in 1996. In all, about 150,000
aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend the schools.
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/education/topics/692/
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/projects/CH/animCH.php?tourID=VQ_P2_12_EN&Lang=1&type=flash
Land claims now and then http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/topi
cs/1238/
Dene and metis agreement http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/clips/1
3282/
BC plebiscite http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/
topics/1238/