Daniel G. MacMartin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel G. MacMartin
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| Born |
Daniel George MacMartin
9 January 1844 Perth, Ontario, Canada
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| Died | 12 April 1923 (aged 79) Perth, Ontario, Canada
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| Resting place | Elmdale Cemetery, Perth, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality |  Canadian |
| Citizenship | Canadian subject |
| Occupation | Civil Servant |
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Notable work
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Treaty 9 |
| Spouse(s) | (1)Margaret MacMartin (2) Janet Grant (1862–1959) |
| Children | Margaret Charlotte MacMartin (1876–1906) Malcolm Morgan MacMartin (1879–1943) Allan Grant MacMartin (1894–1976) Georgina MacMartin (1896 - 1980 ) Hilda MacMartin (1900–1918) |
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Daniel George MacMartin (born January 9, 1844 – died April 12, 1923) was an important person in the history of Canada. He was a special representative, called a "treaty commissioner," for the Government of Ontario. His main job was to help create Treaty 9 in 1905 and 1906.
He worked alongside two other commissioners who represented the Canadian government. MacMartin's specific role was to make sure that the interests of the Ontario government were protected during the treaty talks.
Contents
What Was Daniel MacMartin's Role in Treaty 9?
Daniel MacMartin was chosen by the province of Ontario to be their voice during the creation of Treaty 9. This treaty was an agreement between the government and First Nations peoples. Ontario's agreement was needed because the land involved was within its borders.
Protecting Ontario's Interests
MacMartin's main task was to ensure that the treaty terms were fair for Ontario. He had to make sure that any land set aside for First Nations communities, called "reserves," did not include areas with valuable natural resources. This included places with potential for water power or important minerals. The commissioners were given fixed terms to offer and could not change them during negotiations.
Why Are MacMartin's Journals Important?
For a long time, what we knew about the signing of Treaty 9 came mostly from the journals of the two Canadian government commissioners. Their records were kept in the National Archives of Canada.
A New Perspective on Treaty 9
However, in 1968, Daniel MacMartin's own journal was given to Queen's University. For many years, people didn't fully realize how important it was. Around 2010, its true value became clear. MacMartin's diary offers a different view of Treaty 9. It helps us understand how the treaty started, how it was discussed, explained, and finally signed.
What MacMartin's Journal Revealed
MacMartin was a miner from Perth, Ontario, and he wasn't part of the usual government group that dealt with Indigenous affairs. His journal entries show that he might have felt Treaty 9 was unusual. He received the written treaty before the talks even began. He understood that he could only offer set terms and couldn't negotiate or change anything.
A lawyer named Murray Klippenstein later found and studied MacMartin's journal. Klippenstein said that the diary showed that verbal promises were made to the First Nations people that were different from what was written in the final treaty. This supported what many First Nations Elders had been saying for years.
For example, MacMartin's diary noted that First Nations people were told they could "hunt and fish as of old" and that "they were not restricted as of territory." This meant they could "hunt wherever they pleased." This information from MacMartin's journal is very important for understanding the full history and meaning of Treaty 9.
