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In 1982, when Canada repatriated its Constitution, it recognized and affirmed existing Aboriginal and Treaty rights under Section 35, and is thereby bound by the honour of the Crown to uphold these rights. Canadian provinces hold limited authority and jurisdiction through the Canadian federation.

The Constitution includes the Royal Proclamation of 1763. It sets out the Crown’s understanding of the processes required for its governments to enter onto First Nation lands. First Nations governments negotiate in accordance with their longstanding traditions of Treaty-making, and the Crown negotiates for Canada in accordance with its own customs and laws.

All of Saskatchewan is Treaty territory, not just reserve lands. The numbered Treaties were intended to protect First Nations ways of life for future generations and to mitigate the impacts of settlement on lands and livelihoods. All those who live in shared Treaty territories are intended to benefit from Treaties. We are all Treaty People. Even though the Crown has a long history of passing policy that has not honoured First Nations understandings of Treaty, First Nations have maintained their Treaty obligations and continue to share the lands in peace and harmony with their Treaty partners.

Proposed changes to the Constitution Act that threaten the integrity of the numbered Treaties are not merely provincial issues; they are Treaty issues. The potential separation of any province affects all those who hold rights under Treaties 1 to 11 as the Treaties are an interrelated bundle.

In keeping with our mandate, which includes public education on Treaty, the OTC expresses concern about rhetoric that seeks to undermine or diminish the constitutional protection afforded to Aboriginal and Treaty rights under First Nations law and the Canadian Constitution. The OTC believes that language portraying these rights as illegitimate or incompatible with democracy can contribute to misunderstanding, polarization, and discrimination against First Nations. While public debate about constitutional issues is protected in a democratic society, Canadian law also recognizes limits where expression crosses into the willful promotion of hatred against identifiable groups.

In addition, rhetoric that frames Aboriginal and Treaty rights as anti-democratic has broad consequences for all of Canada. Treaties are a foundational pillar of Canadian democracy, contributing to the legitimacy of Canada’s claims to sovereignty in much of the West. The courts have interpreted the purpose of s.35 as reconciling Indigenous peoples’ inherent sovereignty with Crown assertions. The federal government recognizes First Nations self-government as part of s.35 in its 1995 Inherent Rights Policy. Efforts to dismiss or minimize s.35 threaten the self-determination of First Nations across Canada.

Aboriginal and Treaty rights are also protected under Section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which requires the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all citizens under the Charter to be interpreted in ways that do not threaten Aboriginal and Treaty rights.

To deny, disparage or diminish Treaty rights undermines the truth that we are all Treaty people.

“Treaty starts with having all our children understand that they belong and are loved and that their cultures and traditions and languages matter and are valued,” said Dr. Kathy Walker, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan

“Upholding Treaty really is about realizing the vision that the Treaty partners had when they came together, which was really to learn about how we could live together in true relationship with one another, understanding that we are interrelated.”

The opening of a Birthing and Traditional Parenting Centre in Sturgeon Lake First Nation is one key example of what it means to uphold Treaty. Supporting children, families, language, culture, and traditional knowledge reflects the values Treaties were built on.

In his book Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation, Murray Sinclair reflects on four important questions:

Who am I?
Why am I here?
Where do I come from?
Where am I going?

As Treaty People, we are meant to think about these questions together. Treaty reminds us that our lives are interconnected and that we share responsibility for one another.

May 17-23, 2026 is Treaty Recognition Week in Saskatchewan. One thing every Treaty person can do is learn the history of Treaties and recognize the contributions of First Nations ways of knowing and being. Upholding Treaty begins with respect and relationship building now and for the generations to come.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC) and the Regina Public School Division (RPSD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding this morning at the mâmawêyatitân centre, located at Scott Collegiate.

The MOU is aimed at enhancing collaboration and support between RPSD and the OTC that will promote Treaty education and Treaty Rights and Responsibilities through the implementation of the Treaty Outcomes of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. It also enables ongoing collaboration to help guide RPSD’s strategic plan as it pertains to the inclusion of Indigenous concepts, history, culture, community and inclusion of Indigenous narratives and perspectives.

“Regina Public Schools is committed to recognizing and honouring the Indigenous Peoples of Saskatchewan’s Treaty Nations, and a critical part of this is in the classroom,” said Mark Haarmann, Director of Education and CEO at Regina Public School Division. “We are grateful for our time engaging with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and look forward to deeper collaboration on enhancing Indigenous and Treaty education in our schools. We are all Treaty people.”

Good for five years, the MOU will enable the creation of shared education projects that promote understanding on Treaties as well as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls to Justice. Part of these projects include exhibits at RPSD museum locations, special off-site exhibits, and traveling exhibits, whenever feasible.

“The concrete actions being taken to implement Treaty education are for our children and future generations—so they may understand the truth of our shared history,” said Dr. Kathy Walker, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan. “By creating a partnership with Regina Public Schools, we are strengthening opportunities for students, educators, and communities to learn what it means to live the Treaties. By understanding our shared history and what it means to be a Treaty person, we can create a stronger future for everyone.”

Both parties will meet annually to review progress made, discuss opportunities for improvement, and ways to deepen education around Treaty Rights and Indigenous culture, history, and more.

The Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Dr. Kathy Walker was honoured to be invited to witness the historic return of buffalo to Star Blanket Cree Nation. The event marked a time of reconnection and cultural renewal.

Fifteen buffalo total 13 — 13 females and 2 males — made their journey home from Carstairs to Star Blanket Cree Nation, where community members gathered to celebrate their return to the land.

“The return of the buffalo is a powerful reminder of the deep connection between First Nations and the land. The returning of the buffalo is a celebration of resilience and perseverance,” said Treaty Commissioner Walker.

Star Blanket Cree nation is a signatory to the Buffalo Treaty, which has been signed by more than 40 First Nations. The purpose of the Buffalo Treaty is to restore the buffalo to their homelands and to renew the cultural, spiritual, and ecological relationships between First Nations and the buffalo.

Following the arrival of the buffalo, families, Elders, leaders, and guests came together at White Calf Gym for speeches, visiting, and supper to honour the significance of the historic day.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is pleased to help fulfil the call to action by our future generations to have the third week in May proclaimed Treaties Recognition Week.

A Grade 5 Class at Ecole Lumsden Elementary and their teacher, Justin Freitag, introduced the Treaties Recognition Week initiative in 2023 after being inspired by a Treaty 4 flag-raising in Lumsden.

For the third year, the Government of Saskatchewan is proclaiming May 17–23 as Treaties Recognition Week in Saskatchewan calling on all citizens to recognize Treaty.

This annual event recognizes the Treaty relationship and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner invites people across Saskatchewan to better understand our shared history.

“Treaties Recognition Week is an opportunity for all of us to learn, reflect, and strengthen our common understanding of Treaty. Together, we can honour the Spirit and Intent of Treaty,” said Dr. Kathy Walker, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

Treaties are agreements made to ensure peaceful relations and the continued livelihood of both First Nations and non-First Nations peoples. Understanding this shared history helps us recognize the commitments made by all and the responsibilities we carry forward. Learning about Treaty nurtures mutual respect, strengthens relationships, and supports reconciliation efforts across the Treaty territories.

Whether you are Indigenous or non-Indigenous, if you live in Saskatchewan, you are a Treaty person. Treaties are not just historical documents—they are living agreements that shape our shared present and future.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner offers resources to guide you through the Treaty timeline: Before Treaty, At Treaty, After Treaty, and Today. Explore these materials to deepen your understanding and join communities across Saskatchewan in recognizing the importance of Treaty.

Before Treaty
We have resources for students in:
Primary Grades
Virtual Tipi building
The word Indigenous — explained l CBC Kids News grades k-4

Middle Grades
Grandfather Teachings – Video Series

Secondary Grades
7 Sacred Teaching; eagle feather & tobacco protocol

and the General Public
Indigenous Worldviews vs Western Worldviews

At Treaty
We have resources for students in:
Primary Grades
Alex Shares His Wampum Belt
We Are All Treaty People

Middle Grades
Treaty Relationships – A Reading

Secondary Grades
The OTC Treaty Video – A Solemn Undertaking

and the General Public
Treaties with Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Explained

After Treaty
We have resources for students in:
Primary Grades
Phyllis’s Orange Shirt

Middle Grades
My Suitcase by Nii Sookayasas
Stolen Words by Melanie Florence

Secondary Grades
Indian Act video
Phyllis Webstad – On Orange Shirt Day

and the General Public
Murray Sinclair’s response to “Why don’t people just get over it?”

And Today
We have resources for students in:
Primary Grades
The UNDRIP explained – Animated

Middle Grades
What is Reconciliation?

Secondary Grades
Our Rights: Indigenous Youth on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

and the General Public
Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, six years later
How UNDRIP Changes Canada’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples

Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan Kathy Walker, Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Chief Larry Ahenakew, and Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation Chief Daryl Watson met with the 30th Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon.

At the meeting on May 8, these leaders thanked Simon for her years of service as the first Indigenous person to hold the Governor General role.

“As a proud Inuk she has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening the Crown’s foundational relationship with Indigenous peoples through reconciliatory action, and not mere words,” said Walker.

Simon promoted the truth about the shared history of our land in that it stretches across millennia throughout iyiniwi-ministik (North America). Foremost among this shared history is the Treaty relationship between First Nations and the Crown and the sacred bundle of roles, responsibilities and rights constituted by Treaties 1 to 11.

Grounded in the history of these lands, Treaties have long set out a powerful roadmap for reconciliation. As noted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015), all Canadians, particularly governments, policymakers and public servants, have a duty to learn, educate and understand our Treaty history because ‘History plays an important role in reconciliation; to build for the future, Canadians must look to, and learn from, the past.’

As representatives of two of the original Treaty nations to negotiate Treaty 6 with the British Crown and its Dominion of Canada, Chief Ahenakew and Chief Watson hand delivered an invitation to the Governor General and her successor, the Governor General Designate, Louise Arbour, to attend the commemoration of 150 years of Treaty 6 on August 23, 2026 at Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan, Treaty 6 territory.

As a former Supreme Court Justice and United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, the new Governor General, Louise Arbour, brings a life-time of commitment to upholding constitutional rights and human rights, and in light of her deep understanding of justice, we trust that she will recognize and affirm the inherent, constitutional, human and Treaty rights of First Nations in her new role.

May 5 is Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.

It’s a day to honour the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people who have been lost to violence, and to stand with the families and communities who are left carrying grief.

Red Dress Day has its roots in the REDress Project, created by Métis artist Jaime Black. The image of the red dress has become a powerful symbol and calls attention to the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people across Canada.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner encourages all people to wear red on May 5 as a visible act of remembrance and solidarity. Wearing red is one way to show that those who are missing are not forgotten.

This day is also a call to action. The violence faced by Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people is rooted in ongoing impacts of colonialism, systemic racism, and inequities. Meaningful change requires continued learning, reflection, and action.

The OTC encourages people to engage with the Calls to Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to support Indigenous-led initiatives, and to work toward safer, more equitable spaces for Indigenous Peoples.

Red Dress Day is not only about awareness—it is about responsibility. Together, we must continue the work of truth, justice, and reconciliation.

A coalition of Indigenous governments, organizations, and allies are in New York at the 25th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to draw international attention to Canada’s increasing mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples.

The Assembly of First Nations, BC First Nations Justice Council, Black Lake Denesuline First Nation, Prince Albert Grand Council, Union of BC Indian Chiefs and Prisoners’ Legal Services are urging Canada to end to the mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples.

“For decades, Canada has promised to reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in prison, yet today we make up just five per cent of the population and one-third of those in federal custody, and half of incarcerated women. This is systemic racism rooted in colonialism, not individual failure,” said Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte.

“The case of Joey Toutsaint, a member of Black Lake Denesuline First Nation, held for over 3,000 days in intermittent solitary confinement in violation of the UN Nelson Mandela Rules, shows the profound harm this system continues to inflict on Indigenous Peoples. These conditions are driving disproportionate rates of self-harm and suicide and constitute a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples.”

“Canada must work in true partnership with First Nations to support self-determined approaches to justice, community safety, and healing by transferring resources and authority to Indigenous governments. The solution is clear, respect our right to self-determination and end the mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples.”

Indigenous people also spend more of their sentences in custody and are disproportionately exposed to the most punishing and damaging aspects of prison, including solitary confinement, and are over-represented in self-harm injuries and deaths by suicide in prison. Legal provisions that would allow Indigenous people to serve their sentences in Indigenous communities are under-funded and rarely used.

Canada is called on to redirect one third of Correctional Service Canada’s approximately $3 billion annual budget – or $1 billion annually – to Indigenous governments and organizations to de-incarcerate Indigenous Peoples in a manner consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“First Nations continue to condemn this systemic discrimination, and insist on effective corrective action. Likewise, the massive apprehension of First Nations children under provincial and territorial child welfare laws is a part of this systemic discrimination as Chief Willie Littlechild has said many times. The so-called child welfare system is a pipeline that funnels our children into conflict with the law and often places their welfare at risk. Governments at all levels in Canada must follow the lead of First Nations to restore our ways of justice, healing, and reconciliation,” said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak.

See the Coalition’s full news release here: United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues – Indigenous governments, organizations and legal aid clinic rebuke Canada for mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples – call for funding and authority to Indigenous governments and organizations

On Apr. 13, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner worked with SUMA to co-present a main stage panel at the SUMA convention.

This panel was organized in keeping with their shared commitment to promote respect and understanding of Treaties and to facilitate strong relationships amongst all Treaty people in Saskatchewan.

“All urban municipalities in Saskatchewan are located within Treaty territories and so all urban municipalities and their residents are Treaty people,” reads the OTC-SUMA memorandum of understanding.

To this end the panel brought together stories of partnerships grounded in the principles of Truth and Reconciliation and how municipalities have a role to play in Treaty implementation.

Along with Charlie Clark, the OTC Treaty Relations Lead, panelist included Lucky Man Cree Nation Chief Crystal Okemow, North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin, Fishing Lake First Nation Community Navigator Brent Sunshine, and Humboldt City Manager Joe Day.

More than 1,000 representatives from Saskatchewan’s cities, towns, villages, resort villages, and northern municipalities attend the annual convention.