I

Office of the Treaty Commissioner 1150 - 606 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3H1Tel.: (306)244-2100, Fax: (306)244-4600www.otc.ca, otcmail@otc.ca

f relations between Treaty First Nations and otherresidents of Saskatchewan are to be harmonious, allpeople in Saskatchewan will need to be made aware ofthe history of relations between the Treaty FirstNations and other people of Saskatchewan. In orderto gain respect for each other, Treaty First Nations andSaskatchewan people need to be more informedabout the traditions, customs, values, institutions, andlaws of each other. This is consistent with a traditionof the Saskatchewan people - one of valuing and beingenriched by their cultural diversity.

The people of Saskatchewan can benefit from learningmore about the historical events associated with themaking of treaties as they reveal the mutual benefitsand responsibilities of the parties. There is ampleevidence that many people are misinformed about thehistory of the Canada’s relationship with Treaty FirstNations. Until recently, the perspective of manyCanadians has been to view treaties as frozen in time,part of Canada’s ancient history. Some Canadians stillhold this view of treaties as “real estate transactions.”Non-Aboriginal Canadians forgot that they, too,

gained rights through treaty - rights to lands and richresources in our province. Building on thesefoundational rights, Saskatchewan people built aculture and way of life on these lands. Treaties were tobe mutual, assisting both parties. The wealthgenerated from these lands and the freedomsassociated with living in the province benefittedSaskatchewan people and their descendants.

People need to become better informed about the roleof the treaties, and their contribution to the creation ofCanada and to the well-being of today’s generation ofSaskatchewan citizens. In order to continue to build amore knowledgeable and respectful community, thepeople of Saskatchewan and Treaty First Nations mustunderstand their common history, take actions torenew the treaty relationship based on fair dealing,trust and respect, and understand the nature of theirrights and responsibilities as descendants whocontinue to benefit from the Treaties in Saskatchewan.

Treaty BackgrounderTreaty Backgrounder

Treaties in Saskatchewan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Treaty Boundaries in Saskatchewan . . . . . . . 4Statistical Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Treaty Boundaries in Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . 6Reading Treaty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Elders, veterans, Chiefs, government officials and other dignitaries gathered at Fort Carlton Historic Park to celebrate the125th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6 on August 22, 2001.

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During the 1800s, the Canadian government,representing the British Crown, and the Cree, Saulteaux,Assiniboine and Dene people, negotiated five Treaties inthe territory that is now the province of Saskatchewan.These include Treaties Four, Five, Six, Eight and Ten.While the province also includes a portion of the TreatyTwo boundaries in the southeast, there are no TreatyTwo First Nations in Saskatchewan.

Treaty FourFor the first four and a half days of negotiations forTreaty Four, the Saulteaux leaders refused to enter intosubstantive negotiations because they were upset thatland, which they considered as their territory, was ‘sold’to the Dominion of Canada by the Hudson’s BayCompany without their consent. Once negotiationswere underway, Treaty Four Elders state that theirforefathers agreed to share the land ‘to the depth of aplow.’ In exchange, the Queen would see that theirneeds were met and would protect them from theencroachment of settlement. And thus, the Crown wasprovided the land to enable settlement in this part of thewest.

For Treaty Four, also called the Qu’Appelle Treaty,livelihood was an important theme - First Nations wereinterested in acquiring new tools that would provide abridge to future prosperity. Provisions for assistance witheducation, protection for traditional economic activity,provisions for assistance with agriculture, and annuitieswere included in the Treaty agreement. The Crown alsoundertook to set aside lands for First Nations in additionto the provisions of flags, suits and medals.

Treaty FiveNegotiations for Treaty Five were held at Berens River,Norway House and Grand Rapids. For the Crown, thecoming of the steam boat to the Lake Winnipegwaterway would require a treaty to deal with access ofsettlers and traders to the water systems. It also wantedaccess to lands to enable agriculture in the territory. FirstNations knew the steamboats would disrupt their way oflife, as well as threaten the employment of nearly 200 oftheir people in the famous York boat factories.

First Nations of Treaty Five were concerned withsecuring a new means of livelihood for their people.Agriculture and education were viewed as means inacquiring new tools to survive in a changingenvironment. Annuities, medals, and suits of clothingwere presented. Other provisions included tools andimplements for agriculture, assistance with education,ammunition, twine, and nets for fishing and theprohibition of alcohol. As well, protection for traditionaleconomies was included in Treaty Five, as well as land tobe set aside. However, for reasons unknown, less landwas received (160 acres per family of 5, compared to640 acres per family of 5 in Treaty 4) .

Treaty SixSimilar to the negotiations of Treaty Four and Five, theCrown representatives and First Nations leaders(including the Cree, Saulteaux, and Assiniboine)participated in the treaty making process, using theirown distinct customs and protocols for Treaty making.The Crown presented the written articles of Treaty andthe Chiefs presented the pipe - symbolizing thesolemnity of the Treaty agreement.

Photograph of Big Bear at Fort Pitt in 1884. From left to right: Fire Sky Thunder, Sky Bird, Matoose, Napasis, Big Bear, Angus McKay,Dufrain, L’Goulet, Stanley Simpson, Alex McDonald, Rowley, Corporal Sleigh, Edmund, Henry Defrain. Credit: National Archives of Canada.

OVERVIEW OF TREATIES IN SASKATCHEWAN

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By participating in the pipe ceremony, theCommissioners were viewed as accepting the friendshipof the Cree Nation. In return, many Chiefs touched thepen to the written articles of Treaty to signify theiracceptance of the Treaty agreement.

At this time, the buffalo were in serious decline and theCree were recovering from a smallpox epidemic a fewyears earlier. First Nations stressed the need forlivelihood, and accepted the Crown’s offers foreducation and agriculture. However, they alsonegotiated for relief in times of ‘pestilence and famine’,and a medicine chest, the best medical care available, atthe house of each Indian agent. The Cree and Saulteauxleaders were looking for a partnership with Canada toobtain the Queen’s ‘benevolence and protection.’

Treaty EightOverall, in the few years prior to the making of TreatyEight, First Nations were experiencing extremeconditions. Once gold was discovered in the Klondike in1897, the Crown became interested in entering into aTreaty with the Cree and Dene in this area.

Treaty Eight was the first Treaty to be negotiated afterthe 1885 Resistance. In 1899, Commissioner J.A.J.McKenna initially questioned the appropriateness ofsetting aside reserves in the north, recognizing that theFirst Nations did not form large tribal organizations, butrather lived dispersed on the land. First Nations hadconsiderable apprehension that their way of life wouldbe threatened and their livelihood curtailed - theywanted to fish, hunt, trap and gather as they alwayshad. Being assured they would retain their way of lifewas the key to persuading the First Nations to acceptTreaty Eight. The Treaty Commissioner assured the Creeand Dene that the Treaty would not interfere with theirmode of life, that it did not open the way to theimposition of any tax, and that there was no fear ofenforced military service. Other provisions includedannuities, suits, medals and flags, education, relief intimes of famine, and the choice to select reserve landcollectively.

Treaty TenIn 1906, Commissioner J.A.J. McKenna presented thetext of Treaty Eight as a draft text of Treaty Ten to theFirst Nations in Ile a la Crosse, Portage la Loche, andBuffalo Narrows. During Treaty Ten negotiations, TreatyCommissioner McKenna told the First Nations that theCrown’s objective was to do for them what had beendone for other Treaty Nations when trade andsettlement began to interfere with First Nation’s way oflife.

First Nations held concerns about their way of life andlivelihood similar to those expressed during thenegotiations of Treaty Eight. They expressed concernabout the restrictive and confining nature of the reservesystem, and did not want reserve creation to impedetheir traditional way of life. McKenna assured FirstNations that ‘the same means of earning a livelihoodwould continue after the treaty was made as existedbefore it,’ and that the Crown would assist them intimes of real distress, and would help support the elderlyand indigent. Verbal assurances were given byCommissioner McKenna that education and medicalassistance would be provided to the First Nations. Alsopromised were suits, medals, flags, annuities, lands andprotection for hunting and fishing practices. Protectinga way of life and securing livelihood was the primaryconcern of First Nations of both Treaty Eight and Ten.

Documented Treaty Adhesionsfor Saskatchewan First NationsTreaty Four adhesions: September 8 and 9, 1875,Qu’Appelle Lakes; September 9, 1875, Swan Lake;September 24, 1875, Swan Lake; August 24, 1876, FortPelly; September 25, 1877, Fort Walsh.

Treaty Five adhesion: September 7, 1876, The Pas.

Treaty Six adhesions: August 29, 1878, Battleford;September 3, 1878, Carlton; July 2, 1879, Fort Walsh;December 8, 1882, Fort Walsh; February 11, 1889,Montreal Lake; June 25, 1913, Waterhen Lake;November 21,1950, Witchekan Lake; August 18, 1954,Cochin; May 15, 1956, Cochin.

Treaty Eight adhesion: July 25 and 27, 1899, Fond duLac.

Treaty Ten adhesion: August 19 and 22, 1907, Lac duBrochet.

“Cree children circa 1900.” Credit: Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan

20 Cumberland Cumberland House20 A Pine Bluff Cumberland House 20 B Pine Bluff Cumberland House20 C Muskeg River Cumberland House20 D Budd's Point Cumberland House27 A Carrot River The Pas 28 A Shoal Lake Shoal Lake 29 Red Earth Red Earth 29 A Carrot River Red Earth64 Cote Cote 65 The Key Key 66 Keeseekoose Keeseekoose66 A Keeseekoose Keeseekoose68 Pheasant Rump Pheasant Rump Nakota69 Ocean Man Ocean Man69 A-I Ocean Man Ocean Man70 White Bear White Bear71 Ochapowace Ochapowace72 Kahkewistahaw Kahkewistahaw73 Cowessess Cowessess74 B Little Bone Sakimay 74 Sakimay Sakimay 74 A Shesheep Sakimay 74 C Minoahchak Sakimay 75 Piapot Piapot 76 Assiniboine Carry the Kettle 78 Standing Buffalo Standing Buffalo 79 Pasqua Pasqua 80 Muscowpetung Muscowpetung80 A Last Mountain Lake Commonly Held80 B Hay Lands Muskowpetung81 Peepeekisis Peepeekisis82 Okanese Okanese 83 Star Blanket Star Blanket 83 A Wa-pii Moos-Toosis Star Blanket84 Little Black Bear Little Black Bear 85 Muskowekwan Muskowekwan85 A Muskowekwan Muskowekwan86 Gordon Gordon 87 Day Star Day Star88 Poor Man Kawacatoose89 Fishing Lake Fishing Lake89 A Fishing Lake Fishing Lake90 Yellowquill Yellowquill91 Kinistin Kinistin91 A Kinistin Kinistin94 White Cap Moose Woods94 A Wahpeton Wahpeton94 B Wahpeton Wahpeton95 One Arrow One Arrow96 Beardy's & Okemasis Beardy's & Okemasis97 Beardy's & Okemasis Beardy's & Okemasis 99 Muskoday Muskoday100 James Smith James Smith100 A Cumberland James Smith101 Sturgeon Lake Sturgeon Lake 101 A Sturgeon Lake Sturgeon Lake 102 Muskeg Lake Muskeg Lake102 A Asimakaniseekan Askiy Muskeg Lake103 Mistawasis Mistawasis104 Ahtahkakoop Ahtahkakoop 105 Meadow Lake Flying Dust105 A Meadow Lake Flying Dust105 B Gladue Lake Flying Dust105 C Meadow Lake Flying Dust106 Montreal Lake Montreal Lake106 B Montreal Lake Montreal Lake106 C Little Red River Lac la Ronge106 D Little Red River Lac la Ronge108 Red Pheasant Red Pheasant109 Mosquito Mosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head110 Grizzly Bear's Head Mosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head 111 Lean Man Mosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head 112 A Moosomin Moosomin112 B Moosomin Moosomin112 E Moosomin Moosomin112 F Moosomin Moosomin113 Sweetgrass Sweetgrass113 A Sweetgrass Sweetgrass113 B Sweetgrass Sweetgrass114 Poundmaker Poundmaker115 B New Thunderchild Thunderchild115 C New Thunderchild Thunderchild115 D Thunderchild Thunderchild116 Little Pine Little PineNot #'d Lucky Man Lucky Man117 Witchekan Lake Witchekan Lake 118 Big River Big River118 A Big River Big River119 Seekaskootch Onion Lake120 Makaoo Onion Lake124 Bighead Joseph Bighead 129 Makwa Lake Makwa-Sahgaiehcan129 A Makwa Lake Makwa-Sahgaiehcan129 B Makwa Lake Makwa-Sahgaiehcan129 C Makwa Lake Makwa-Sahgaiehcan130 Waterhen Waterhen Lake156 La la Ronge Lac la Ronge156 A Potato River Lac la Ronge156 B Kitsakie Lac la Ronge156 C Sucker River Lac la Ronge157 Stanley Lac la Ronge157 A Stanley Lac la Ronge157 B Old Fort Lac la Ronge157 C Four Portages Lac la Ronge157 D Fox Point Lac la Ronge157 E Fox Point Lac la Ronge158 Little Hills Lac la Ronge158 A Little Hills Lac la Ronge158 B Little Hills Lac la Ronge159 Saulteaux Saulteaux159 A Saulteaux Saulteaux160 Wood Mountain Wood Mountain160 A Nekaneet Nekaneet161 Ministikwan Island Lake161 A Ministikwan Island Lake165 Canoe Lake Canoe Lake165 A Canoe Lake Canoe Lake165 B Canoe Lake Canoe Lake165 C Eagles Lake Canoe Lake184 Amisk Lake Peter Ballantyne 184 A Birch Portage Peter Ballantyne184 B Pelican Narrows Peter Ballantyne184 C Sandy Narrows Peter Ballantyne184 D Woody Lake Peter Ballantyne184 E Mirond Lake Peter Ballantyne184 F Sturgeon Weir Peter Ballantyne 191 Chitek Lake Pelican Lake192 La Plonge English River192 A Elak Dase English River192 B Knee Lake English River192 C Dipper Rapids English River192 D Wapachewunak English River192 E Ile a la Crosse English River192 F Primeau Lake English River192 G Cree Lake English River193 Peter Pond Lake Buffalo River193 A Churchill Lake Birch Narrows193 B Turnor Lake Birch Narrows194 Turnor Lake Birch Narrows200 Southend Peter Ballantyne 201 Opawakoscikan Peter Ballantyne 217 Morin Lake Lac la Ronge218 Bittern Lake Lac a Ronge219 Grandmother's Bay Lac la Ronge 220 Lac la Hache Hatchet Lake221 La Loche Clearwater River222 La Loche Clearwater River223 La Loche Clearwater River224 Chicken Black Lake225 Chicken Black Lake226 Chicken Black Lake227 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac228 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac229 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac231 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac232 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac 233 Fond du Lac Fond du Lac

NO.�� NAME� FIRST NATION

RESERVE INDEX

TREATY SITES

Canada Indian Treaties. Wall map. The National Atlas of Canada, 5th Edition. Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, 1991.

General Location of Indian Reserves, Saskatchewan. Wall Map. Prepared for the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs by Prairie Mapping Ltd., Regina. 1978, updated 1981.

Map of the Dominion of Canada, 1908. Department of the Interior, 1908.

Map Shewing Mounted Police Stations...during the Year 1888 also Boundaries of Indian Treaties... Dominion of Canada, 1888.

Map of Part of the North West Territory. Department of the Interior, 31st December, 1877.

TREATY 10�1906

TREATY 5�1875

TREATY 4�1874

1889

TREATY 2�1871

VARIATIONS IN DEPICTED�TREATY BOUNDARIES

TREATY 6�1876

TREATY 7�1877

Fort Qu'Appelle

Fort Carlton

Fort Pitt

Ile-a-la-Crosse

Fond du Lac

2020D

27A

29A

2928A

20A,B20C

229

227

233228

232

192G

220

200

231

225

224

226

89A

85

66

74C

74B

71727374

76

6969A-I 68

70

74A

66A

64

83A

78

798075

80B

85A

86

84838281

65

80A

160A

160

8887

90

91

100

95

102A

94

99201

94A

104

191112F

115D

105A129A

129C

129B161A

124

165A

120

165C

105B

165

165B

192E

192F

219

192A

157

157C157B

157D

184D184E

184A

184

184F

184B

157E

156C

158 156B

184C158A

217

158B

156

157A

192D192B

192C

193A223

193B

193

194

222

221

192

130

130

112E159A

159

112A

112B

118A101

101A

218

118

102Lucky Man

113A113B

114116

108

111

117

115C

129161

119

110

105105C

109

113

115B

103

106

94B

96,97

100A

91A

89

106B,C,D

Boun

dary

Uncertain

156A

Treaty Boundaries, Location of First Nations, and Treaty Sites in Saskatchewan

PopulationToday, the Treaty First Nations population is growingmore rapidly than the general population inSaskatchewan. From 1991 to 1996, the populationgrew by 22% whereas the provincial populationremained considerably stable. The population of FirstNations in Saskatchewan can be characterized as rela-tively young. More than 54% of the First Nations pop-ulation in the province are under the age of 20 years, incomparison to the 29% of the general population. Alarger, more youthful, First Nations population inSaskatchewan will impact the provincial economy andgrowth.

In 1996, approximately 48% of First Nation people livedoff reserve in Saskatchewan.

Projected Aboriginal PopulationThe projected population of Aboriginal peoples inSaskatchewan will grow from 13% of the total provincialpopulation in 1995 to 32% in 2045. The non-Aboriginal population in Saskatchewan was 87% in1995 and will decrease to 68% in 2045.

Projected First Nations Labour Force The proportion of First Nation peoples that were laborforce age in 1991 was 59.7%. The estimated projectedFirst Nation population that is labor force age in 2041 isapproximately 71%.

EducationThe formal education levels for the on-reserve FirstNation population are improving but the gap betweenFirst Nation and non-First Nation levels is still wide. Theproportion of on-reserve adult population with at leastgrade 12 increased from 29% to 34% between 1992and 1996. The proportion of the general populationwith at least grade 12 was 57% in 1996.

EmploymentThe employment rate on-reserve is still at one-half of thegeneral rate - only 31% of the population 15 and olderon-reserve were employed in 1996 compared with 62%in the province. In 1995, the average income for on-reserve households was less than one-half the provincialaverage.

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S T A T I S T I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N

General population in Saskatchewan in 1996First Nation rates in Saskatchewan in 1996

Education

57%

34%

62%

31%

Employment

1995 2045

13%

87%

68%

32%

General Population in SaskatchewanFirst Nations Population in Saskatchewan Clearwater River Dene Nation Students, June 1998

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In 1998, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC)commissioned independent research about thetreaties in Saskatchewan that lead to the developmentof two books.

Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan: Our Dream is That OurPeoples Will One Day Be Clearly Recognized as Nations,was written by Harold Cardinal and WalterHildebrandt. This book examines the treatyrelationship in Saskatchewan from past, present andfuture perspectives. Over 160 Elders contributed theirunderstandings of the treaty relationship during theresearch process. Some of the Elders commentsappear in print for the first time in this book. TreatyElders of Saskatchewan is published by the Universityof Calgary Press.

Bounty and Benevolence: A History of SaskatchewanTreaties, was written by Arthur J. Ray, Jim Miller andFrank Tough, published by McGill-Queen’s UniversityPress. These three scholars have assembled a bookthat details the foundation of the treaty relationship inSaskatchewan based upon archival, documentary, andhistorical records.

The pressures and rationale that led to the treatiesthat exist within the present day boundaries ofSaskatchewan (Treaties 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10) are carefullyexamined. Bounty and Benevolence is published by theMcGill-Queens University Press.

Quick Facts Public Education Study March 1999*

• 1,005 non-First Nations Saskatchewan adultscontacted for study (margin of error plus orminus 3.2%)

• 78% aren’t knowledgeable about treaties;

• 68% believe an improved understanding of treatieswill build better relations between First Nationsand non-First Nations communities;

• 56% say it is important to settle issues, 29% say itis not important and 13% don’t know or don’thave an opinion;

• 41% oppose treaties and 38% support treaties.Given study’s margin of error that’s a dead heatbetween those who support and oppose.

*conducted by the Angus Reid Group

R E A D I N G T R E A T Y

PUBLIC EDUCATION STUDY MARCH 1999*

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