FORT CARLTON PROVINCIAL HISTORIC PARK — In 1876, First Nations and the Crown entered into Treaty 6 at Fort Carlton on Aug. 23.
Commemorative events for the 150th anniversary are being held Aug. 20 to 23 at Fort Carlton Provincial Historic Park and the original parchment is on display. The original manuscript of Treaty 6, rarely displayed outside museums, is significant for its unique handwritten elements from the 1876 negotiations, including additions like the Medicine Chest and Famine & Pestilence clauses, offering insights into the discussions. Understanding Treaty involves looking beyond the text to its Spirit and Intent.
This milestone event offers an opportunity to reflect on the commitments, relationships, responsibilities and historical context related to the Treaty, while also emphasizing the importance of its continued implementation for future generations. Visitors to the events at Fort Carlton can tour the fort, learn from the lived experiences shared by Elders, learn how the matriarchs were a vital part of treaty-making and hear from young leaders who shared their learning journeys, as well as hear from dignitaries on the significance of the observance.
The total Treaty 6 area extends from western Alberta into Saskatchewan, covers 121,000 square miles and includes 50 First Nations as well as a band in Manitoba. The Mathias Colomb Cree Nation separated from the Peter Ballantyne band and was officially recognized in 1910. The community relocated to Pukatawagan Lake roughly 250 km north of The Pas after a fire destroyed the settlement at Highrock Lake in north-central Saskatchewan. This First Nation is still recognized as a Treaty 6 signatory.
A Treaty is a formal agreement between two parties, but everyone living in treaty territory, whether a descendant of early colonizers or a newcomer, falls under the terms of the treaty. For much of the last 150 years, many rights guaranteed by the Treaty were ignored by the federal and provincial governments and this milestone anniversary is about more than history, as Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Dr. Kathy Walker, states, “The Treaties are not relics of the past. They are living agreements. Living the Treaties means understanding our shared responsibilities and working together in the spirit they were intended.”
The agreement, grounded in promises of mutual benefit and shared prosperity, endures as a covenant between peoples. A.J. Felix of Sturgeon Lake First Nation once noted that treaties are agreements between equals. “Treaty created a ‘Treaty Indian,’” he said, adding, “It also created a ‘Treaty White Man.’ Both are responsible for keeping the treaty.”
The numbered treaties are formal agreements that established a relationship between the Crown and First Nations. However, the two parties have different perspectives on the Treaties. First Nations view the Treaties as covenants, while the Federal Government historically has seen them as contracts. First Nations interpret the Treaties as land-sharing agreements, whereas the Federal Government has regarded them as land-surrender agreements. Additionally, First Nations emphasize the spirit of the agreement, including oral commitments, while the Federal Government has historically prioritized the written text.
In recent years, Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations have developed a shared understanding of the Treaties. They are now using this understanding to revitalize their Treaty relationship. By strengthening the bonds established by the Treaties, all parties involved aim to improve the well-being of both First Nations and non-First Nations people living in the region.
One hundred and fifty years after First Nation chiefs signed the treaty with the expectation that future generations would prosper, Walker says, the relationship still has to be understood and lived. The treaty is a framework for First Nations and non-First Nations people to live together in respectful relationships, grounded in equality, peace, friendship and harmony.
