Legal

During Kawechetwemot’s trial John Craig—the farm instructor on the Little Pine reserve—justified his withholding of rations that led to Kawechetwemot’s discontent. He stated: “My orders with respect to giving rations are that I am to give them to the old and to the sick and to no others unless they work. I am not allowed to deviate from these orders.” Because Kawehetwemot was not sick enough to deserve rations they were refused.

As the Cree prepared for a Thirst Dance two delegates met with John Craig, the farm instructor on Little Pine’s reserve to ask for rations. Craig declined and pushed the men out, when Kawechetwemot took an axe and struck Craig on the arm with its handle. Craig called in the NWMP to deal with the situation. On 19 June after the Thirst Dance ended NWMP Superintendent Leif Crozier met with Cree leaders asking them to give up Kawechetwemot. On 20 June Crozier—not wanting to leave without a prisoner—attempted to forcibly seize Kawechetwemot. This incited a hectic scene, but no shots were fired. The Saskatchewan Herald wrote: “firing would undoubtedly have become general and war to the knife [would] have been declared.” Crozier, going against the “work for rations” program, provided food to the Indigenous people as a temporary solution. This was successful and after discussions between Indian Department representatives and First Nations leaders, Kawechetwemot appeared before Crozier at a preliminary hearing on 4 July. He was sentenced to one week in prison. This event shook the confidence of the government employees tasked with carrying out Indian policy in the North West. For example Indian Agent John Rae outlined that the government must either alter their policy or use military strength to enforce the current regulations harshly. Crozier warned that the Indigenous people were angry, and was concerned about the potential for physical violence in the future. This event contributed to anticipation of such violence, and, because Indigenous concerns were left unaddressed, materialized in the North-West/Riel Resistance the following year.

Through a 1914 amendment to the Indian Act, First Nations people who wished to travel off-reserve for fairs or stampedes were required to obtain permission from the Indian agent. Throughout the years up to 1918, Department of Indian Affairs officials routinely refused to grant approval for off reserve events. Through the 1920s, officials were more lenient with granting these passes and fair organizers were less inclined to respect the instructions of the DIA.

An all-night ritual took place near the Red Pheasant reserve featuring 15 members of the Native American Church, 13 members of the Stony Reserve (Alberta) and Red Pheasant Band, and peyote. Non-Indigenous observers were also present.

In 1952, the ritual consumption of peyote related to the activities of the Native American Church was reported among members of the Cree band led by Louis Sunchild. Sunchild, an Alberta First Nation leader, was stopped at the Montana-Alberta border carrying peyote. RCMP took him into custody, and although he was released, the peyote was retained and the report and images of his peyote stash were circulated to Indian Agents across Western Canada.

After decades of non-Indigenous settlement on the Peepeekisis reserve (known for the File Hills Farm Colony), band members took legal action to remove all colonists from reserve lands. Two cases took place, Trelenburg (1952) and McFadden (1956).

The arrival of the expedition under Colonel Garnet Wolseley in 1870 signalled a transition in the lives Indigenous peoples in Manitoba. The expedition included Ontario volunteers and Canadian settlers hoping to avenge the death of Thomas Scott. They acted in defiance of the rule of law. Winnipeg descended into mob rule in 1871 and 1872. The French Metis population was threatened continuously at the Land Office near Fort Garry, and French Metis entering Winnipeg were in jeopardy of being harmed.

Tapassing, a member of the Fishing Lake band, was arrested in January of 1904 for dancing. However, once the NWMP discovered that he was over ninety years old and nearly blind, he was released.

The Saskatchewan legislature unanimously passed a resolution in 1961 to request that Ottawa transfer complete control over Indian Affairs administration to any province that wanted it. Premier Douglas suggested implementing a 25-year transition period for the transfer of power. Ottawa rejected the request from Saskatchewan.

The second federal Joint Parliamentary Committee on Indian Affairs began hearings in 1959 and concluded with the presentation of their report on July 8, 1961. The main tone of this report and its recommendations was the inclusion of Aboriginal people within pluralistic Canadian society and their rights of citizenship, pushing towards full citizenship rights and the removal of special status. The Saskachewan government's brief to the Committee was devoted to suggestions to ease and facilitate the process of integration. The discussion of traditional Indigenous culture was cast almost entirely in terms of how it handicapped Aboriginals who were trying to "get ahead" in modern society. "Traditional" Aboriginals were described as permissive in their child-rearing practices, averse to established routines, lacking in reliability and punctuality, and given to sharing, rather than accumulating, wealth. The brief's message was clear - to succeed in Western society, First Nations people would have to be the ones to adapt.