Treaty 6 Anniversary To Be Marked At Fort Carlton

Treaty 6 Anniversary To Be Marked At Fort Carlton

Friday, August 21, 2009 at 14:49

 

 

This Sunday will mark 133 years since the signing of Treaty 6.

 

Representatives from First Nations as far away as eastern Alberta are expected to descend on Fort Carlton for a gathering to commemorate the event.

 

Organizer A.J. Felix says everyone is welcome out to the gathering, which begins Saturday morning and runs until Sunday night.

 

Felix says attendees will discuss the spirit and intent of the treaties.

 

Elders will work with technicians to share their understanding of the historical documents.

 

Felix says it’s clear to him that the Crown has changed the intent of treaties when it comes to natural resources.

 

“What is it that Indian people are going to court for these days? Resources. Resources were not on the table for discussion at the time (of the treaty signing). All that the lieutenant-governor asked for at the time was six inches of topsoil to grow crops to feed his children. Now they’ve gone way beyond,” he says.

 

Felix says at the time of the treaty signing, there was an understanding that Indian people would always have access to the bush to fish and hunt.

 

That doesn’t appear to be the case these days, and it’s questions like this that need to be explored, Felix says.

 

“According to our treaty, we were supposed to be respectful to each other, and we were supposed to be receiving services. By rights, we should be sharing in the revenues, so we too would continue to have our economics in order.”

 

Felix says the courts are now deciding what Indian rights should be.

 

He wonders how that could be allowed to happen, since Indian people signed treaties as sovereign nations.