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Treaty 2 facts for kids

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Treaty 2 is an important agreement made on August 21, 1871. It was signed at Manitoba House in a place once called Rupertsland. Representatives from the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland met with leaders of the Anishinaabe people. The Anishinaabe are also known as Chippewa and Cree. These original people are still part of Treaty 2 today.

Many chiefs and leaders from the area were at the first meeting. Others who could not be there were represented by Métis people. They later chose where their farming lands would be. This treaty confirmed the rights the Anishinaabe had before Europeans arrived. The land covered by Treaty 2 is now in southwestern Manitoba and a small part of southeastern Saskatchewan.

Understanding Treaty 2's History

Main article: Numbered Treaties

Treaty 2 was the second agreement of its kind. It was made after the Canadian government formed in 1867. This was also one year after Manitoba became a province. At the time, Manitoba was not fully inside the Treaty 2 area. The Manitoba Act was changed in 1872 to fit Treaty 1.

The main goal of Treaty 2, signed on August 21, 1871, was clear. It aimed to open up a large area of land for new settlers and immigrants. The government wanted to get the agreement of the Indigenous people living there. This way, there would be peace and good feelings between everyone.

This agreement was also known as the "Manitoba Post Treaty." It got this name because it was signed at a fur trading post. This post belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company. Manitoba Post was located on the northwest shore of Lake Manitoba. The rules of Treaty 2 were much like those in Treaty 1.

Both Treaty 1 and Treaty 2 were later updated on April 30, 1875. This update added promises that the government had made verbally. These were called "outside promises." Similar promises were written into Treaty 3 in 1873. This put more pressure on the government to add them to the earlier treaties.

Treaty 2 itself mentions that some communities were not at Manitoba House. The treaty states that Mekis, a son of Okanese, would represent these groups. He helped them join the Treaty 2 process.

The Land of Treaty 2 Today

The original Anishinaabe/Chippewa territory was much larger. It stretched beyond the current Treaty 2 boundaries. Today, based on the original text, Treaty 2 land is north of Treaty No.1 territory. It goes along the east shore of Lake Winnipeg to the Berens River. Then it crosses to the Dauphin River. It follows waterways up to the northern tip of Waterhen Lake.

The land then crosses Winnipegosis north of Duck Bay. It continues to the source of the Shell River in the Duck Mountains. From there, it follows the Assiniboine River to the Moose Mountains in southeastern Saskatchewan. It crosses the international border near Brandon. Then it goes to the Whitemud River and across to the Drunken River. Finally, it reaches the Winnipeg River, where it began.

This territory covers a huge area of 8,676,828 hectares (about 21.4 million acres). Many mountains, rivers, and lakes are found within this land. These include Riding Mountain National Park and Duck Mountain Provincial Park. Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, and Moose Mountain Provincial Park in Saskatchewan are also there. Important lakes include Dauphin Lake, Clear Lake, and Childs Lake. The south part of Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Winnipeg, plus the north part of Lake Manitoba, are also included.

Today, the largest city in Treaty 2 is Brandon. Dauphin is the next largest. Many other towns and rural areas are also located within this territory.

First Nations in Treaty 2

Here are some of the First Nations communities located within Treaty 2:

See also

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