It was history in the making last week when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally exonerated Chief Poundmaker for wrongful conviction of treason-felony in 1885.
Aside from the Prime Minister, a number of other dignitaries travelled to the northwestern Saskatchewan First Nation for the event.
One of these people was former Poundmaker Cree Nation Chief Blaine Favel.
He said the day was really about all those who came before and worked hard to make the exoneration a reality.
“Because we talk about all of our relatives that are not here,” he said. “Milton’s dad was a chief, Brian’s dad was on council for many, many years, Duane Antoine has been our chief for a long time. The late John Tootoosis, my late father, my late grandfather, all of our grandmothers and grandparents that didn’t live to think such a thing could happen.”
Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde said as part of the government’s apology, it is important to recognize Poundmaker for the true statesman he was.
“This man, that we’re honouring, he was a diplomat for our people, he was a statesman for our people, he was a chief, a leader,” he said.
Pauline Favel, who spoke on behalf of the descendants of Poundmaker, said it is an important step on the road to reconciliation.
“This is another step when you’re healing, and another step as a nation, not only Poundmaker band members, our leadership, but our communities,” she said. “Because the descendants of Poundmaker go beyond this reserve alone.”
Chief Poundmaker was wrongly accused by the Crown for participation in the North-West Resistance in 1885.
This in spite of the fact that he actually saved lives of Canadian soldiers by calling his men off as the soldiers were retreating after one particular skirmish.
Poundmaker was sentenced to three years in prison as part of the wrongful conviction.
He was released after a year due to poor health and died a short time later of a respiratory illness.
(PHOTO: Poundmaker Cree Nation Chief Duane Antoine, left, shakes hands with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right. Photo by Fraser Needham.)