the native treaties

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THE NATIVE TREATIES

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Page 1: The Native Treaties

THE NATIVE TREATIES

Page 2: 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

Page 3: The Native Treaties

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)

Page 4: The Native Treaties

HISTORICAL INDIAN TREATIEShttp://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/topics/1238/

Page 5: The Native Treaties

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

Page 6: The Native Treaties

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

Page 7: The Native Treaties

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

Page 8: The Native Treaties

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

Page 9: The Native Treaties

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

Page 10: The Native Treaties

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.

Page 11: The Native Treaties

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/