Summary
Highlights
The Williams Treaties, signed in 1923, were initiated due to decades of complaints from First Nations about encroachment on unceded hunting and harvesting grounds. Despite assurances of sharing, a 'basket clause' was surreptitiously added after signing, extinguishing all hunting and fishing rights for the Mississauga and Chippewa. This forced many to abandon traditional practices and seek work off-reserve, leading to significant social and psychological impacts. These treaties are unique as the only ones where the Supreme Court has extinguished such rights.
Many treaties prior to 1923 were not honored. First Nations continue to pursue legal battles, challenging the unfairness of seeking resolution in the settler government's courts. The video emphasizes that treaty agreements were meant to be between equal partners, and calls upon all residents of Ontario to acknowledge their role as 'treaty people' and uphold these historical agreements for a shared and sustainable future. Despite the hardships, the desire for freedom to live off the land remains strong among the Mississauga people.
In the mid-1600s, Europeans made contact with First Nations of Turtle Island. Treaties were established as legally binding agreements to outline relationships, facilitate trade, and form military alliances. Ontario is covered by 46 such treaties. The Mississauga Nation, a key participant, signed 18 treaties between 1781 and 1923, their territory once stretching from Niagara Falls to the St. Lawrence River.
Before European arrival, First Nations used wampum belts to define relationships between nations. These belts, made from quahog shells, symbolized agreements and were meant to last forever, with their stories retold annually. Doug Williams discusses the Yellowhead wampum for territorial agreements and the 'Dish With One Spoon' wampum, often misunderstood as a perpetual hunting right.
The Covenant Chain wampum, presented at the Treaty of Niagara in 1764, symbolized the alliance between First Nations and the English. This treaty transferred a four-mile strip of land along the Niagara River to the British. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 established a boundary between American colonists and First Nations, creating a large 'Indian reserve' where land could only be acquired through treaties with the Crown, thus formalizing the treaty process.
Despite the formal process, many treaties were poorly executed, with significant misunderstandings between parties. Peggy Blair notes that the concept of 'giving up land' was interpreted differently by Europeans and First Nations, often simplified to 'the depth of the plow.' Doug highlights how promises made to the Mississauga regarding wetlands, sugar bushes, and islands were not included in written treaties.
The Crawford Purchase (1783-1784) for land along the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario was poorly documented, with no clear record of who signed or received payment for the Mississauga. The 'Gunshot Treaty' was even more vague, intended to allow troop movement, with the land ceded understood as 'as far back as you could hear a gunshot.' Both lacked clear delineation and were sources of ongoing disputes.
Between 1784 and 1811, several treaties like the Grand River Treaty, Toronto Treaty, and Simcoe Treaty further ceded Mississauga land for settlement. Following the War of 1812, more inland lands were sought. The 1818 Treaty Number 20, the Rice Lake Treaty, initially promised an annual annuity forever, but this was later reduced to temporary payments. The Rideau Treaty (1819-1822) ceded traditional hunting grounds in the Ottawa Valley, leading to conflicts.
To manage conflicts and encourage farming, the government established the reserve system in the 1800s, consolidating First Nations into smaller communities. This included the six Mississauga First Nation communities today, on lands far smaller than their original territories. The Trent-Severn Waterway, built through Mississauga land, led to the flooding of 12,000 acres, including sacred burial sites. Promises of trust funds from island sales were not fulfilled.
Initially, Europeans recognized First Nations as sovereign. However, legal opinions in the 1860s shifted, asserting that Aboriginal people had no special rights other than those granted by the Crown. The 1867 British North America Act further consolidated federal jurisdiction over First Nations and their lands, leading to a significant change in relationships.