Treaties

Two oxen and four cows were supplied to Pasqua’s band, but otherwise no efforts were made by government officials to supply Treaty 4 bands with seed, animals, and implements that were promised to them in the treaty negotiations. Officials based their decisions on racist beliefs that First Nations people could not be trusted with the implements as promised, and therefore opted to only provide the goods to groups who were already working on cultivating their reserve land (many groups had not had reserve land surveyed yet), despite what was said in the treaties.

Throughout the many days of talks surrounding Treaty 4, Lieutenant-Governor of the North West Territories--Alexander Morris—never definitively indicated the future status of the lands affected by the treaty. However, the final draft of the government's printed version of Treaty 4 was explicit, that the Cree and Saulteaux tribes, and all other Indians in the district ceded their land to the Dominion of Canada. Though the documents suggest that Indigenous people ceded their lands, this is false. Indigenous people did not cede, surrender, or release their lands in any way to the Canadian government. Alternatively, they agreed to share the land and in no way did they extinguish their rights to their lands. It is also important to note that Indigenous leaders requested access to services such as education, health, and food security during these negotiations.

Lieutenant-Governor Alexander Morris asserted that on multiple occasions Saulteaux signatories of Treaty 1 sent messengers to Qu'Appelle to prevent a treaty from being concluded. Treaty 1 signatories were angered that the Canadian government was not recognizing promises agreed to orally in treaty negotiations.

Speakers and representatives from Aboriginal groups present at Fort Qu’Appelle for the first five days of treaty talks emphasized their displeasure with the way Rupert’s Land was transferred to the Dominion of Canada. The issue revolved around the Hudson’s Bay Company’s pretension that it had the right to dispose of First Nations lands to Canada, and also opposed the surveying of tracts of land for the company, as they had never ceded the land to the HBC.

A key aspect of the Treaty 4 discussions was Lieutenant-Governor Alexander Morris’ offer to teach Indigenous signatories “the cunning of the white man.” Two key aspects of this educational assistance was meant to be the provisioning of agricultural assistance and establishment of schools.

The final adhesion to Treaty 4 occurred in September, 1877 at Fort Walsh. Although Indigenous people did not cede their rights to the land, government officials recorded in the written document that they had. In exchange for transfer of title, the Dominion of Canada on behalf of the Queen promised to provide one-time presents, annual annuities, reserves, farming implements, the construction of schools, and guaranteed hunting, trapping and fishing rights.

Additional adhesions to Treaty 4 occurred at Fort Pelly in the summer of 1876 under the supervision of A. McKay and W.H. Nagle. The First Nations communities agreed to the same terms initially agreed upon on September 15, 1874. Although First Nations leaders did not cede their rights to the land, government officials recorded in the written document that they had. In exchange for transfer of title, the Dominion of Canada on behalf of the Queen promised to provide one-time presents, annual annuities, farming implements, the construction of schools, and guaranteed hunting, trapping and fishing rights.

At Swan Lake W.J. Christie (Indian Commissioner) and M.G. Dickieson (Acting commissioner) oversaw a new adhesion to Treaty 4. The Aboriginal communities agreed to the same terms initially agreed upon on September 15, 1874. Although they did not cede their rights to the land, government officials recorded in the written document that they had. In exchange for transfer of title, the Dominion of Canada on behalf of the Queen promised to provide one-time presents, annual annuities, reserves, farming implements, the construction of schools, and guaranteed hunting, trapping and fishing rights.

One day after a new adhestion had been signed to Treaty 4, there were various additional signatories to the treaty at the Qu’Appelle Lakes. The Aboriginal communities agreed to the same terms initially agreed upon on September 15, 1874. Although they did not cede their rights to the land, government officials recorded in the written document that they had. In exchange for transfer of title, the Dominion of Canada on behalf of the Queen promised to provide one-time presents, annual annuities, reserves, farming implements, the construction of schools, and guaranteed hunting, trapping and fishing rights.

Six days after the conclusion of talks at Fort Qu’Appelle, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris and his delegation traveled to Fort Ellice and met with various other Aboriginal groups. After a brief discussion and an explanation of the treaty’s terms, the adhesion was signed. The Aboriginal communities agreed to the same terms initially agreed upon on September 15, 1874. Although they did not cede their rights to the land, government officials recorded in the written document that they had. In exchange for transfer of title, the Dominion of Canada on behalf of the Queen promised to provide one-time presents, annual annuities, reserves, farming implements, the construction of schools, and guaranteed hunting, trapping and fishing rights.