Influence of Colonization on Treaty Making

This reflection explores the influence of colonization on treaty making between the First Nations and European settlers in Canada.

Reflection – The First Nations and Colonization
REFLECTION - INFLUENCE OF COLONIZATION ON TREATY MAKING
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Reflection – The First Nations and Colonization
INFLUENCE OF COLONIZATION ON TREATY MAKING
The First Nations are one of the oldest indigenous people in who settled in Canada.
As the world progressed and became a melting pot of cultures, the need for trade was
paramount. Thus, numerous treaties or agreements were signed between the indigenous
natives and the later settlers of European origin. This paper is a reflection of the influence of
colonization and early settlers on treaty making and co-habitation of the human race.
When the European settlers arrived at Canada, the aboriginal Indians were already
present and flourishing. The natives were very protective of the laws of their land, and did not
want the colonizers to take away their rights. In order to establish a fair stand, treaties were
signed so that the natives were allowed to retain their titles of land, their rights to hunting and
fishing (Miller, 2009). The interrelationship between Indian title and future livelihood was
deemed important by Alexander Morris, the lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, who in his
address said that framing such treaties not only calmed down the natives who felt threatened
by the colonizers, but also enabled the colonizers sign future treaties with respect to
acquisition of lands from the natives. The treaties aimed at negotiating with the settlers the
terms of “the Crown” (Ray, Miller, & Tough, 2000).
When the settlers looked for means to execute their plans through trade, they
approached the Hudson Bay Company (HBC), which pioneers in fur trade to mediate the
treaties. The HBC had maintained a good relationship with the natives which the colonizers
could not, and thus the company was approached by the latter. The Indigenous people were
native to the land of Canada for a number of centuries before the settlers arrived. Naturally,
they saw the European colonizers as a threat to their identity, lifestyle and live-hood. This
enhanced treaty making for the Indigenous people and for the Government officials
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Reflection – The First Nations and Colonization
The Elders of Saskatchewan lived according to the terms and laws likened to the
“formal education of the First Nations”, that focused on a healthy lifestyle, a spiritual well
being, and a disciplined quest for knowledge (Cardinal & Hildebrandt, 2000). They were
insistent that the spiritual and their natural laws of living must not be altered due to the treaty
making of the colonizers.
According to the Elders, the Creator was the supreme power, and that he was the basis
of all the happenings of the universe. So the First Nations’ laws were based on the Creator,
while living in harmony with Nature and humanity. Indigenous people were taught life by the
way of nature. They would use natural resources for their needs and would give it back to
Nature. They were taught humanity, compassion, caring, at the same time aggression, and
self defense. On the whole, their Creator was the manifestation of Nature and humanity, and
it was of the best interests that those laws were followed to the word (Borrows, 1995).
The settlers have documented that the strong upholding of the laws of the creator by
the natives were a main reason for the peace that prevailed. Even though they felt threatened
by colonization, they accepted it as their Creator’s will. Thus, both the First Nations and the
Crown promised that the treaties would emulate the Indigenous people’s perspective of
livelihood, spiritual principles and laws.
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Reflection – The First Nations and Colonization
REFERENCES
Borrows, J. (1995). With or without you: First Nations law (in Canada). McGill LJ , 629.
Cardinal, H., & Hildebrandt, W. (2000). Elders of Saskatchewan: Our Dream is that our
Peoples will one day be Clearly Recognized as Nations. University of Calgary Press.
Miller, J. (2009). Compact, contract, covenant: Aboriginal treaty-making in Canada.
University of Toronto Press.
Ray, A., Miller, J., & Tough, F. (2000). Precedents from Treaties 1,2 and 3. In A. Ray, J.
Miller, & F. Tough, Bounty and Benevolence: a history of Saskatchewan Treaties (pp.
58-86). McGill Queen’s University Press.
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