Manitoba marks 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty No. 1
Tuesday, Aug. 3 marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty No. 1 – the first of the numbered treaties signed across Western Canada.
Treaty No. 1 was signed at Lower Fort Garry, southeast of Selkirk, Man., on Aug. 3, 1871. The signatories included representatives from the Crown, Anishinabe, and Swampy Cree.
About 1,000 Indigenous men, women, and children from around Manitoba attended the eight-day negotiation process for Treaty No. 1, which was the first in a series of 11 treaties made between 1871 and 1921.
Treaty One Nation is made up of the following seven First Nations: Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation; Long Plain First Nation; Peguis First Nation; Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation; Sagkeeng First Nation; Sandy Bay First Nation; and Swan Lake First Nation.
Treaty One territory stretches from north of Gimli, Man., to the United States border. It also runs from east of Brandon, Man., to Whiteshell Provincial Park. Cities within Treaty One territory include Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, Lundar, Grand Beach, Emerson and Winkler.
In a statement, Alan Lagimodiere, Manitoba’s Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations minister, said the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty No. 1 comes at a challenging time.
“Our hearts go out to the thousands of children whose lives were lost at residential schools, and to survivors who were often neglected or abused,” the statement said.
“Residential schools had a profound intergenerational impact on these children, their families and their communities. The horrific legacy of residential schools is deeply felt here in Manitoba and across our country following the discovery of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential school sites across Canada. “
Lagimodiere noted that Manitoba is committed to supporting Indigenous-led investigations into residential school sites.
COMMEMORATIVE EVENT
On Tuesday, representatives from the Treaty One Nation, the Government of Canada and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba marked the anniversary at the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site.
The commemorative event included a drum song by the Spirit Sand Singers, an Honour Ride into the Lower Fort Garry site, speeches, and a presentation of the newly minted treaty medals to each Treaty One First Nation.
Chief Dennis Meeches, a spokesperson for Treaty One Nation, said in a news release that it is important to remember that treaties are living documents between First Nations and the Crown.
“Taking this time to honour our Chiefs and leadership for their courage and insight in the negotiations of these agreements is empowering for our people and especially our youth,” he said.
“First Nations people more than fulfilled our commitment to live and work together with newcomers, and we look forward to resetting the relationship with the Government of Canada going forward.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.