Leadership - Senior Zone

Initiated as a nation-building effort after Confederation, the Canadian government negotiated a series of treaties with Aboriginal Peoples across Canada that would allow them rights to natural resources and the lands necessary to build a national railway that would link the country together. These treaties covered most of Canada and delineated whom the government recognized as a “Treaty Indian” or later a “Status Indian.” Signing of these treaties took place over a span of 50 years from 1871 to 1921. Eleven numbered treaties were signed in total, in which First Nations peoples had to agree to accept settlement on reserves. Most also included reserve land based on the number of people in a settlement, as well as agreements for schooling, agricultural equipment and training, gifts and annuities. Although these treaties covered most of Canada, they did not include all Aboriginal Peoples. The Inuit never entered into treaty talks and First Nations peoples in most of the northern expanse of James Bay and British Columbia were not approached for treaty negotiations or settlements. The Métis were also omitted from these treaties, their presence and claims to the lands largely ignored until later.