What Were the Consequences of Confederation for First Nations?
In August 2015, 10 First Nations from Canada and the United States signed the Northern Tribes Buffalo Treaty in Banff, Alberta.
For over 5000 years, Métis and First Nations peoples who lived on the prairie land hunted buffalo as a primary food source. They practised sustainable hunting and made sure to use all parts of the buffalo.
First Nations agreed to share the land with settlers.
During negotiations, the Canadian government and First Nations used interpreters to help communtications.
For the First Nations, the written treaties do not reflect the intent and spirit of the original oral treaties.
The First Nations saw the treaties as permanent agreements between different, independent Nations.
The Canadian government believed British ways were superior and felt First Nations peoples would eventually realize this. Canada's government didn't think of the treaties as permanent, because it didn;t think of the First Nations cultures as permanent.
There were increases in land, laws, and settlers.
The 2015 treaty aims to increase the buffalo population, engage youth in the treaty process, and recognize the relationship First Nations peoples have with the buffalo.
Between 1871 and 1921 the Canadian government and some First Nations in the West negotiated the 11 Numbered Treaties.
The Canadian government promised hunting and fishing rights, healthcare, education, farming equipment, famine relief and annual payments to the First Nations in the West.
After oral agreements were reached, the Treaties were them written in English.
In the 1870's the First Nations people knew they faced change, they negotiated the Numbered Treaties to help their peoples adapt and ensure their cultures survived.
The Canadian government saw the Treaties as ways to assimilate First Nations peoples, to get them to give up their traditional ways of life and adopt British ways.
