In 1870, when the Dominion of Canada came into possession of the lands that had been chartered to the Hudson Bay Company, it inherited control of the vast territory which comprised all of what is Western Canada today, except for British Columbia and Alaska. To obtain title to the vast territory, it was acknowledged that treaties must be entered with the Indian people, as the First Nations were then called, as it had been done in eastern Canada.
Here is the list of Treaties signed in the Province of Manitoba and the southern part of the North West Territories.
Treatise 1 & 2: 1871 Southern Manitoba
Treaty No. 3: 1873 Western Ontario
Treaty No. 4: 1874 today the area of southern Saskatchewan & a part of southern Alberta
Treaty No. 5: 1875 Central & Western Manitoba
Treaty No. 6: 1876 today an area of central Saskatchewan & Alberta
Treaty No. 7: 1877 today a part of southern Alberta
(This list obtained from the book As Long As This Land Shall Last by R. Fumoleau)
The signing of these treaties allowed for peaceful opening of settlement. The 1872 Dominion Lands Act introduced the “homestead” concept — 160 acres free to enter and farm. Settlement also led to the building of villages, towns and cities. When the York Farmers Colonization Company of Toronto arrived in the area with settlers from Ontario and Britain, and founded York Colony and York City in 1882, they were located within the boundaries of the Provisional District of Assiniboia, which was within the boundaries of Treaty No. 4. Definition of word “Treaty.” – The government of Canada and the courts understand treaties between the Crown and Aboriginal people to be solemn agreements that set out promises, obligations and benefits for both parties.”
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
heritage@yorkton.ca
