News

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is so excited to offer congratulations to Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer for her appointment as Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate.

Halfe’s first published poetry appeared in Writing the Circle: Women of Western Canada. She has since published four collections. Her latest work awâsis – Kinky and Disheveled will be released in the spring of 2021. She is widely recognized for weaving Cree language and teachings into her works. In 2005, she served as Saskatchewan’s second Poet Laureate.

During the two-year appointment, Halfe will write poetry, especially for use in Parliament on important occasions, sponsor poetry readings, and advise the Parliamentary Librarian regarding the Library’s collection and acquisitions to enrich its cultural materials.

The OTC celebrate the work of Indigenous women and know voices of Indigenous artists are key to shaping Canadian culture. Halfe’s appointment is incredibly important on both fronts. We know we will continue to see more great things from her.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is pleased to announce the opening of the OTC Library and Archives. Since the foundation of the office in 1989, Treaty Commissioners of Saskatchewan have collected and stored documents, but for the first time this collection has been catalogued and is being made available to the public.

“This is a momentous day for the office. It is important that communities have access to historical materials on Treaties between Crown and Indigenous Nations to help us all move towards full Treaty implementation,” said Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

“To begin we will offer the catalogue these resources virtually through the Saskatchewan Archives Information Network and as soon as COVID-19 protocol allows, we look forward to welcoming people to the office to use the resources in our reading room.”

The library contains books, articles, academic theses, and unpublished manuscripts. Historical materials include resources on Treaties Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Eight, and 10,  as well as Canada’s pre- and post-confederation Treaties. Significant collections include files relating to Treaty Land Entitlement in Saskatchewan, the development of Treaty Education, and Treaty case law.

“It’s very exciting for us to share these resources with the public, especially the significant collection of Treaty Oral histories from Elders in all Treaty areas. Oral histories and traditions are often forgotten or overlooked, so it was very important for the OTC to ensure their survival,” said Sheldon Krasowski, research and archives coordinator for the OTC.

A team of staff and volunteers took months sorting through boxes of resources, before cataloguing and offering them to the public.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner thanks the Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists for their support in this project.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is heartbroken by the news of the deaths of strong leaders and knowledge keepers.

This week we lost a strong advocate for northern Saskatchewan Grand Chief Ron Michel. He served as chief of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and went on to serve as chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council for 12 years. He spent most of his life working for his communities in the north. Even after retirement from politics, he gave back becoming a senator for PAGC.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to have sat with him and listen to him on his thoughts about Treaty,” said Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Mary Culbertson. “He was always smiling when I’d see him.”

On Monday, FSIN Senator Theresa Stevenson passed. She is very well known for co-founding the long-running, inner-city hot lunch program in Regina, Chili for Children. Stevenson also was a long-time leader on the Saskatchewan First Nations Women Commission.

We also lost Chief Albert Scott was Saulteaux from Kinistin Saulteaux Nation. He was a leader, who was involved in teaching culture and language and keeping his traditions alive.  Through the years Chief Albert Scott lifted the Pipe for the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and he supported our work.

On Dec. 16, Elder Jacob (Jake) Pete of Little Pine First Nation passed. Throughout his career as an officer, Pete broke barriers in policing in Canada. When he retired, he contributed to the safety and vision of his community. He believed solutions could be found in Indigenous traditions.

Terry Atimoyoo ensured that the oral history around Big Bear continued living. He told the stories and helped in organizing the descendants of Big Bear Gatherings. The gatherings would feature and assembly area to encourage sharing stories.

We are in difficult times, and it is made worse when we cannot gather to support each other in person because of COVID-19. We aren’t able to do this, and it weighs heavy on everyone. But, do what you can, stay safe and keep your loved ones safe with physical distancing, wearing a mask and refraining from gatherings and unnecessary travel. One day we will all be together again if we keep safe now that time will be soon.

While we have lost our knowledge keepers, their teachings will go on. We will miss them.

Anishinabe Nation Treaty Authority is honouring Francis Bird as they share their new Treaty logo.

The logo, finalized in 2021, was guided by Francis, who after ceremony and prayer about the logo contacted the office to share what he had seen – nature with trees and water.

He also provided a piece of paper with the word Kamamokamin, put the translation under it, and “said it means: Do this together. He said it means we are working together on this project, walking side-by-side with each nation and it displays our unity,” said a press release from the Anishinabe Nation Treaty Authority (ANTA).

Francis grew up in the bush in Hudson Bay, Peepaw area and worked in the bush most of his life. His traditional name was Gihmownihbihnace, he was a ceremonialist and carried his grandfathers and uncles’ ceremonial lodges.

With that history, and knowledge of his culture and language, Francis’ ideas lead to the office contacting a First Nations graphic artist who started pulling the elements together to develop the ANTA logo.

The final version shows Saskatchewan trees, spruce and tamarack, Saskatchewan animals beaver, moose, and fish, symbolizes Treaties through pictures as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the river flows.

ANTA says the insight from Francis Bird was the most important part of bringing the Treaty logo to life and “we can’t thank him enough.”

Francis Bird passed this summer, so ANTA is looking to honour his contributions by sharing this story and giving him credit for his hard work developing the Treaty logo

“His words and guidance will always be with Anishinabe Nation Treaty Authority…Mikwec Gihmownihbihnace, your encouragement and guidance will always be with us.”

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is grateful to the Anishinabe Nation Treaty Authority for sharing the story. We honour Francis Bird alongside the community as we celebrate their new logo.

The Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS) and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC) have committed through signing a Memorandum of Understanding to an ongoing positive partnership to foster and build strong relationships between children of Indigenous communities and new immigrants.

Through this initiative, children and youth from both communities will have opportunities to learn and absorb each other’s cultures and form long lasting bonds for a harmonious future in Canada.  Working together SODS and the OTC will develop a cultural exchange program that provides youth an opportunity to interact, share history, and learn from one another.

“The OTC is pleased to be partnering with the Saskatoon Open Door Society to grow relationships between students and see them not only exchange information, but their aspirations and dreams. Youth are key to reconciliation and the future of the Treaty relationship,” said Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

“Creating this partnerhip supports newcomer youth in learning the true story of Canada’s history with Indigenous peoples, promotes Treaty Awareness and Treaty Implemtnation though understanding identity and the roles and responsibilities associated with We are all Treaty People.”

The partnership aims to promote language retention and revitalization. By recognizing the importance of keeping languages intact, the Memorandum of Understanding makes a commitment to keep our cultures strong. There is an urge for cultural information and inclusive cultural practices focusing on diversity, anti-racism, reconciliation and Treaty implementation within First Nation, Metis and immigrant youth and their families making Saskatoon their home. This empowering cultural amalgamation will bring strength to Saskatoon community by building stronger leaders and role models for our community.

The Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan was hurt and angered to hear of a young Indigenous girl feeling discriminated against and excluded from her school’s formal wear day, when she chose to wear a piece of her Indigenous ancestry and put on a ribbon skirt.

“I wore a ribbon skirt to the swearing in of our Lieutenant Governor and I wore a ribbon skirt to meet the Governor General, because that is my formal wear,” said Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

Throughout the year the Office of the Treaty Commissioner reaches out to school divisions to offer the Teaching Treaties in the Classroom curriculum as well as other public education and cultural trainings. In eastern Saskatchewan we’ve worked with Key, Keeseekoose, Ochapawace, Cote First Nations and the Yorkton Tribal Council and have seen partnerships form with other schools. The OTC wants to see conversations on Treaty, resilience, culture, and identity, expand and deepen.

We are renewing the call for schools in Kamsack and the surrounding area to engage with the OTC and grow cultural competency within the education system. All staff, not just teachers, but everyone from custodians to bus drivers, nutrition staff and board members, should be participating to make the school system a safe place to be for all children.

“I look forward to working together as a provincial community to reach a place where Indigenous people do not have to be afraid of discrimination and look forward to wearing clothing that celebrates resilience, culture, and identity,” Culbertson said.

After such a difficult year, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner is excited to join forces with SIGA and dedicated community volunteers to bring Christmas cheer to youth in Saskatoon.

On Dec. 17, OTC staff members joined a parade that took Santa and elves past Pleasant Hill Community School, St. Mary’s School, King George School, and Princess Alexandra Community School.

Santa and his elves also delivered some gifts, stockings and candy at some of the schools.

“The OTC is grateful to be able to assist with this wonderful event for the children of the four schools,” said Angela Merasty, Director of Operations for the OTC. ommunity School, St. Mary’s School, King George School, and Princess Alexandra Community School.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner was excited to support An Evening of Story and Song.

On Wednesday evening, people from across Canada, Treaty 4 and 6, gathered around their computers to listen to songs from The North Sound, and stories from OTC Speakers Bureau members, Joseph Naytowhow and Peace Akintade. Elder Gilbert Kewistep opened and closed the evening.

The event was hosted by Reconciliation Saskatoon and was designed to bring people together in a safe way during COVID-19.

“We wanted to bring people together for lightness and Love and community and throw the doors open to the world,” said Carrie Catherine, who hosted the online evening on behalf or Reconciliation Saskatoon.

About 80 people attended the event, many with their families, to hear the words and songs being shared.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner celebrates with Peepeekisis Cree Nation as they ratify a land claim that has been in the works for more than 35 years.

A claim first filed in 1986 by former Chief Enock Poitras was looking for compensation for the mismanagement of reserve lands by Canada. This claim was subject to 16 years of missed commitments by the Government of Canada, over which time the Peepeekisis Cree Nation lost many of elders and, with the passing of each elder, there was more difficulty in marshaling its case.

In 2004, the Indian Claims Commission accepted the Peepeekisis and recommended that the Government of Canada negotiate a settlement. Another 16 years later, the Canadian Government agreed to a settlement of $150 million dollars to redress violating the rights of Peepeekisis First Nation’s Chief and Council, and surrendering over two-thirds of their reserved lands.

The community voted and ratified the claim on Dec. 11.

Ten years after the signing of Treaty Four in 1874, the Peepeekisis community settled on 26,624 acres adjacent to Okanese, Starblanket and Little Black Bear First Nations. Chief Peepeekisis died in 1889 and the Department of Indian Affairs refused to accept his son as chief and prevented the Peepeekisis First Nation from holding an election.

The Peepeekisis First Nation was without a chief until 1935, which allowed William M. Graham, who was the Indian Agent at the Qu’Appelle Agency, to create the File Hills farming colony on Peepeekisis lands.

In 1901 Graham received funds from the Department of Indian Affairs to create the colony and by 1906 he had removed 18,850 acres from the Peepeekisis Reserve.

This land was divided into 80 acre lots for graduates of the File Hills Boarding School and the Qu’Appelle Industrial School. Graham feared that when the graduates of these schools returned to their home reserves, they return to their traditional culture. So, he selected graduates to settle on lands in the colony, where they would be supported in farming.

Initially the File Hills Colony was deemed a success by the Department of Indian Affairs. By 1906 there were twenty families living in the colony, and over the next few years the colony quickly outnumbered the original Peepeekisis band members.

Graham maintained a tyrannical grip on the lives of the colonists. They were forbidden to interact with any Peepeekisis community members who adhered to their traditional culture, and participation in dances, ceremonies and even speaking Cree was banned.

Eventually the File Hills Colony disintegrated, and all the homes and barns have been destroyed or burned down and in 1927 Graham was forced to retire.

The violations to the rights of the Peepeekisis First Nation by the creation of File Hills Colony became the basis for the Specific Claim put before the Indian Claims Commission (ICC) in 1986.

Read More:
File Hills Colony: A Failed Experiment

Sask. First Nation votes to accept $150M settlement from the Government of Canada

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is excited to celebrate a new partnership with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, the OTC signed a strategic alliance with the college to further relationships and foster Indigenous inclusive learning environments.

Elder Shirley Wolfe Keller opened the event with a prayer, and speakers bureau member Aaron Tootoosis provided an honor song.

The event took place virtually to protect everyone from COVID-19.

The organizations have come together to  work on providing Treaty Education and Indigenous Awareness on all Saskatchewan Polytechnic campuses across the province.

“We are pleased to be entering into a partnership with Saskatchewan Polytechnic, to help foster and support an Indigenous inclusive learning environment. Treaty promises have not been fully realized, and we know to get there we have to work to decolonize systems. Working with partners we are able to promote Treaty identity, awareness, and understandings and help us move towards the goal of Truth and Reconciliation through Treaty Implementation,” said Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner recognizes the value and importance of this academic institution in developing the strengths and skills of our province’s past, current and future leaders in various sectors. Through this historic partnership, based on the Treaty principles of honor, respect and mutual benefit, the OTC hopes to broaden the knowledge base for all students and staff on Treaties.

“We will work together to promote Treaty identity and create an awareness and understanding of our Indigenous Treaty partners,” said Amy Seesequasis, the OTC Director of Public Education.

“This partnership is one I am very proud of and excited to see unfold.”

The OTC strives to achieve Treaty implementation through an understanding of Treaties, the Treaty relationship, and Indigenous Treaty partners by way of our various information sessions facilitated by our Public Education department. Our goal is to honour the Treaty relationship in the spirit of peace and friendship and commitment to ongoing reciprocal relations.