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©Keeseekoowenin 1998
Page 5
The Treaty acknowledges Mekis as the chief of all the Indians in the whole of southwestern Manitoba. In particular, the band of the Ojibway Nation who considered Mekis as their chief, consisting of 13 families and 74 persons, entered into Treaty Nº2 on 21 August 1871. The Treaty stipulates:
". . . for the use of the Indians belonging to the band of which Mekis is Chief, so much land between Turtle River and Valley River on the south side of Lake Dauphin as will make 160 acres for each family of five persons or in the same proportion for a greater or smaller number of persons."
The band received from Indian Commissioner Wemyss Simpson, Molyneux St. John witness, their first annuity payments as "Riding Mountain and Dauphin Lake Band". A memo by the Treaty Commissioner said a chief's dress, flag and medal was
". . . promised to each chief who signed the Indian Treaty. . . All other demands were paid off as follows in cash: $40 in lieu of a buggy to each chief; $20 in lieu of the flag and medal to each 2 councillors and 2 braves of each chief."
The dress was to consist of 1 coat, 1 pr trousers, 1 pr boots, 1 hab gold braid, 1 shirt, 1 silk neck handkerchief, 1 pr socks, clothing fit for an Officer of the Crown.(4)
By entering into Treaty, the Crown accepted fiduciary obligations with respect to the lands and the peoples involved.
The ink was hardly dry on the Treaty before disagreements broke out. The First Nation signatories complained that agreements reached during negotiations had not appeared in the written document, and that some agreements which did appear in writing were not being fulfilled by the Crown. There were disagreements as to what had been agreed to not only between the Commissioners and the First Nations, but among the Commissioners themselves. Much to the chagrin of Commissioner Simpson, the Ojibway had demanded economic development resources, including farm animals, horses, wagons, and farm tools and equipment. These demands were agreed to by the Commissioners, but Simpson had not included these items in the written treaty. Instead he tacked on a list of "Outside Promises".(5)
In the 128 years which have passed, the honour of the Crown has become badly tarnished. In the years following Treaty, the self-governing Ojibway would become subject to the control of Indian Agents and the Indian Act. When the lands were opened to settlement, exploitation of Ojibway resources began without permission or compensation. Racism and discrimination in employment shunted the Ojibway aside. The Treaty Promise of lands for farming was not fulfilled. Ojibway people were denied access to their resources on unsettled lands.
Footnotes
4. Notation.(back)
5. PAC RG10 vol. 3596, file 1258, "Memorandum of Articles Outside of the Treaty Nº1 which were promised at the Stone Fort 3 August 1871 to Chiefs and their counsellors" signed by Wemyss Simpson, Indian Commissioner.(back)
