August 3, 2021
Statement from Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere on the 150th Anniversary Signing of Treaty No. 1
Today we celebrate a significant and historic milestone, the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty No. 1, signed on Aug. 3, 1871. I call upon all Manitobans to join the Manitoba government in honouring this important relationship and sharing in our commitment to advance reconciliation to put us on the path to a stronger, vibrant, healthier Manitoba.
Our government respects the treaties and agreements that were made on these lands, and we remain committed to working in partnership with Indigenous peoples and communities in the spirit of reconciliation and collaboration. Today marks 150 years since the signing of Treaty No. 1, sometimes referred to as the Stone Fort Treaty, which was signed at Lower Fort Garry. Treaty No. 1 is particularly significant as it was the first of the numbered treaties signed across Western Canada.
Treaties were negotiated in Canada between First Nations and the British Crown as early as 1701 and continued in both pre- and post-Confederation periods.
Treaty No. 1 was negotiated and entered into on Aug. 3, 1871, at Lower Fort Garry, southeast of Selkirk. Signatories included representatives from the Crown, Anishinabe and Swampy Cree. An eight-day negotiation process was attended and witnessed by approximately 1,000 Indigenous men, women and children from across the province.
Treaty One Nation comprises seven First Nations:
• Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation;
• Long Plain First Nation;
• Peguis First Nation (formerly St. Peters Band);
• Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation;
• Sagkeeng First Nation (Formerly Fort Alexander Band);
• Sandy Bay First Nation (1876 adhesion); and
• Swan Lake First Nation (1876 adhesion).
Treaty One territory is extensive, stretching from north of Gimli to the United States border, and from east of Brandon to the Whiteshell Provincial Park. Cities within this territory include Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, Lundar, Grand Beach, Emerson and Winkler. All residents of this area share both the obligations and the benefits of Treaty No. 1.
This anniversary comes at a particularly challenging period for everyone. 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. 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. We grieve alongside Indigenous communities across our nation and are committed to supporting Indigenous-led investigations and commemorations of residential school sites, as we continue on a path to reconciliation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Manitobans.
Manitobans remain committed to working with Indigenous partners in the same spirit of friendship and collaboration in which Treaty No. 1 was signed.
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