Treaty 5 facts for kids

Treaty Five is an important agreement made in September 1875 between Queen Victoria and the Saulteaux and Swampy Cree First Nations. These groups lived around Lake Winnipeg in an area then called the District of Keewatin. This treaty covered a large part of what is now central and northern Manitoba, plus small areas in Saskatchewan and Ontario.

The treaty was signed in two main parts. The first part happened from September 1875 to September 1876. Later, more groups signed on between 1908 and 1910.

Why the Treaty Was Needed

Before 1867, many treaties were signed with Indigenous Peoples in farming areas of central Canada. After Canada became a country, it bought a huge area called Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870. This made people think about Indigenous land rights in these new areas.

Before treaties were signed, the economy in the prairie provinces relied a lot on the fur trade. But the fur trade was slowing down. This meant First Nations people had less income. There was also a big food shortage and a smallpox outbreak affecting First Nations in northern Manitoba. These problems made Indigenous groups interested in signing a treaty.

The Canadian government also wanted to sign treaties. They were interested in the natural resources in these areas. They also wanted to open up new lands for settlement and development, especially for building railways.

How the Treaty Was Negotiated

At first, Canada didn't have a clear plan for dealing with Indigenous groups in the west. The First Nations around Lake Winnipeg were supposed to be part of earlier treaties, but they were too far away. However, these Indigenous Peoples still wanted a treaty.

In 1875, the Canadian government decided to sign a treaty with them. They sent two people, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris and James McKay, to negotiate. The negotiations happened very quickly, with three meetings, each lasting only one day. The government representatives talked with each Indigenous group separately.

The First Nations in northern Manitoba signed the treaty much later than those in the south. This was because the government wasn't interested in the northern land at first, as it wasn't good for farming. But later, when the economy changed, the government saw value in this land for Canada's development. So, Treaty Five was signed because Indigenous groups wanted agreements like others were getting, and because the Canadian government wanted new areas for development.

What the Treaty Included

The terms of Treaty Five were similar to those of Treaty One and Treaty Two. The government promised to provide things like:

• Ammunition and twine for hunting and fishing.
• Yearly payments (called annuities).
• Access to resources.
• Land for reserves.
• Support for farming.

In return, the Indigenous Peoples agreed to keep law and order and give land to the government.

The reserves created under Treaty Five were much smaller than those in other treaties like Treaty Three and Treaty Four. For example, in Treaty Three and Four, a family of five received 640 acres. But in Treaty Five, a family of five received only 160 acres, or sometimes even 100 acres. This was more like the terms of Treaty One and Two.

The treaty also included a payment of $500 to help groups move and build new houses on their reserve land. Each person recognized under the treaty received a payment of five dollars. Band leaders received fifteen dollars, and the Chief received $150.

Where the Treaty Land Is

Treaty Five covers a large part of central and northern Manitoba. It also includes smaller parts of Ontario and Saskatchewan. This area is about 100,000 square miles. It includes parts of the Interlake region, the Shield country near Lake Winnipeg, and the lower Saskatchewan River.

At first, people thought the land in this area wasn't good for farming. In 1874, Lieutenant-Governor Alexander Morris even said there was "no present necessity for the negotiation of any treaty" for the area near Norway House.

However, the Canadian government needed this land for the railway they were building. They believed Winnipeg would become an important communication hub for the prairies. Lake Winnipeg itself was also seen as valuable for transport and trade, especially for steamboats. This made the land covered by Treaty Five very important to the government.

Treaty Timeline

First Treaty Trip: 1875

Alexander Morris and James McKay were the government representatives sent to negotiate.

• September 20, 1875: They met with the Berens River bands at a schoolhouse. The meeting went well, and they agreed on the terms.
• The next day: They went north to Norway House to meet with two Cree bands. These bands signed the treaty with little discussion.
• September 27, 1875: Morris and McKay met with Indigenous groups at Grand Rapids on the Saskatchewan River. This group had to move from the north side of the river to the south side because their current location was needed for transportation development. The band asked for $500 to help them move and rebuild, which was granted.
• September 28, 1875: On their way south, Morris and McKay met a spokesperson named Thickfoot. He represented several island communities and wanted his people to be included in the treaty. The commissioners promised that someone would visit them the following summer.
• Before returning home, Morris and McKay decided to include the Swampy Cree at The Pas Settlement in the treaty. This area was important for future development. Negotiations for this area were planned for the next summer.

Second Treaty Trip: 1876

Thomas Howard and John Lestock Reid were sent to visit the bands that had not yet signed.

• July 24, 1876: They met at Dog Head Point with bands from Bloodvein River, Big Island, Sandy Bar, St. Peters, and Thickfoot's Jack Fish Head band. Some representatives wanted private negotiations, but the commissioners insisted on one chief and a few representatives speaking for everyone. The leaders were chosen by ballot, which was new and unusual for Indigenous peoples. This meant some groups might not have been fully represented.
• August 4, 1876: Howard and Reid went to Berens River to meet with Indigenous peoples who hadn't signed the year before. The treaty was signed easily.
• Later: They went to the Saskatchewan River to give the Grand Rapids band the $500 and other supplies promised. The Chief of the Grand Rapids band made new demands, thinking negotiations were still open. Howard explained the treaty was already completed, and the band eventually agreed, though they felt they had been misled.
• Howard and Reid then went to different bands to deliver promised goods or negotiate with new groups.

Treaty terms were adjusted until 1907. In 1930, the Canadian government and the prairie provinces signed an agreement giving the provinces more control over land and resources.

• 20 September 1875: signing of Treaty 5 at Berens River, Manitoba
• 24 September 1875: signing of Treaty 5 by Norway House and Pimicikamak peoples at Norway House, Manitoba
• 27 September. 1875: Grand Rapids signing
• 28 September 1875: signing by Wa-Pang or Dog-Head community, to be included with the reservation assigned for the Norway House community
• 26 July 1876: Big Island signing at Wa-Pang/Dog-Head Island
• 4 August 1876: signing by Grand Rapids tribes at Beren's River
• 7 September 1876: signing by Black River Saulteaux band, signed in Winnipeg
• 7 September 1876: The Pas signing by tribes in that region
• 26 June 1908: Split Lake adhesion signing
• 8 July 1908: Norway House adhesion signing
• 15 July 1908: Cross Lake adhesion signing
• 30 July 1908: Nelson House adhesion signing
• 24 August 1908: Fisher River adhesion signing
• 29 July 1909: Oxford House adhesion signing
• 6 August 1909: God's Lake adhesion signing
• 13 August 1909: Island Lake adhesion signing
• 9 June 1910: Deer's Lake East adhesion signing
• 10 August 1910: York Factory adhesion signing

Challenges and Issues

The speed of the treaty negotiations led to many misunderstandings. Often, treaty terms were discussed orally but written down differently. This caused problems because the spoken agreements didn't always match the written ones.

Language barriers were also a big issue, especially with the "surrender clause." This clause stated that Indigenous groups "cede, release, surrender and yield up" all their rights to the land. However, an Indigenous leader today translated this to mean "I quit this land." He believes that if Indigenous groups had fully understood what they were agreeing to, they might not have signed.

Another challenge for Indigenous groups was receiving smaller land portions and fewer resources compared to earlier treaties. This meant fewer long-term benefits for the people included in Treaty Five.

In 1895, an Indigenous missionary reported that many people on a reserve had not received their yearly payments. Also, in 1876, Icelandic immigrants settled on land that Indigenous groups had requested or were living on. This led to a smallpox outbreak, and many settlers and Indigenous people died in the winter of 1877. In the 1880s, there was also a rise in deaths from Tuberculosis on reserves.

Treaty Five Today

Even though the terms of the treaties might not have been exactly what Indigenous groups wanted, these agreements created a lasting relationship between the Canadian government and these groups. Many Indigenous groups feel that treaties limit their traditional activities, but they also recognize the good things the treaties did in the past. After Treaty Five was signed, and until about 1930, First Nations hunting became more and more restricted by new laws.

Many Indigenous groups who signed Treaty Five still have ongoing land claims with the Canadian government. Another challenge for these groups today is that they often live in very rural areas. This makes it hard to access hospitals and other important resources. The cost of living and transportation can also be very high.

List of Treaty Five First Nations / People

Many different Indigenous and Métis groups were involved in signing Treaty Five.

See also

• Numbered Treaties
• The Canadian Crown and First Nations, Inuit and Métis
• Council of Keewatin
• District of Keewatin
• Nishnawbe Aski Nation