Treaty 3 facts for kids
Treaty 3 was an important agreement signed on October 3, 1873. It was made between Chief Mikiseesis (also known as Little Eagle) for the Ojibwe First Nations and Queen Victoria. This treaty covered a very large area of Ojibwe land. This land is now a big part of northwestern Ontario and a small piece of eastern Manitoba. Treaty 3 also set out rights for other Ojibwe people. These rights were added through more agreements over the next year. In 1875, the treaty was changed slightly. This change created a special area of land, called Reserve 16A, for Métis families connected to Chief Mikiseesis's group. In 1967, Reserve 16A and the main Rainy Lake Band reserve became one.
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What is Treaty 3?
Treaty 3 was the third in a series of eleven Numbered Treaties. These treaties were agreements between the Crown (which means the Canadian government) and First Nation groups. Even though it was the third treaty, it was very important. Its words and rules became a model for all the other numbered treaties that followed. The first two treaties, Treaty 1 and Treaty 2, covered a similar amount of land. They had to be updated later to match the new ideas from Treaty 3. When Treaty 3 was first discussed, everyone expected it to set the standard for future agreements.
Why is Treaty 3 Important?
Treaty 3 is historically important because of some legal disagreements that happened later. These disagreements were between the government of Ontario and the government of Canada. They argued about what the treaty meant. They also argued about who was responsible for First Nations people.
One famous case was called St. Catherines Milling v. The Queen. This case asked who owned the land after a treaty was signed. The court decided that the province (Ontario) owned the land.
Another case was The Dominion of Canada v The Province of Ontario. This case asked if Ontario had to pay Canada back for the costs of making the treaty. It also asked if Ontario had to pay for the ongoing promises of the treaty. Canada lost this case. The highest courts said that Canada was responsible for First Nations affairs. They also said that the treaty was made for big national goals. One goal was building the transcontinental railway. These goals were not just to help Ontario. What these decisions mean is still talked about in Canadian courts today.
The Paypom Document: A Different Story
Treaty 3 is also special because there is a written record of what the First Nations people understood the treaty to mean. This record is called the Paypom document. It is a set of notes written for Chief Powassin during the treaty talks. It describes the promises that were made to the First Nations people. The promises in the Paypom document are different in some ways from the official printed version from the Canadian government.
Who Signed Treaty 3?
Many First Nations groups are part of Treaty 3. Here are some of them, grouped by their current alliances:
- Big Grassy First Nation
- Anishnaabeg of Naongashiing (Big Island First Nation)
- Northwest Angle 33 First Nation
- Northwest Angle 37 First Nation
- Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation
- Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum (Wauzhusk Onigum First Nation)
- Bimose Tribal Council
- Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation (Grassy Narrows First Nation)
- Eagle Lake First Nation
- Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation
- Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation
- Naotkamegwanning First Nation
- Obashkaandagaang Bay First Nation
- Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation
- Shoal Lake 40 First Nation
- Wabaseemoong Independent Nations
- Wabauskang First Nation
- Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation
- Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Advisory Services
- Couchiching First Nation
- Lac La Croix First Nation
- Mitaanjigamiing First Nation
- Naicatchewenin First Nation
- Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation
- Rainy River First Nation
- Seine River First Nation
- Stanjikoming First Nation
- Independent First Nations Alliance
- Unaffiliated
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