The status of Treaty 8 in Canada today is a topic that still has an
impact on the peoples within the treaty 8. There are still issues in
regards to land and other rights
The treaty agreements negotiated and signed in Canada laid the foundation for what are known today as
"Treaty Rights". These rights are those written into the text of the
treaties.
Some Treaty Rights of today's Aboriginal people in
Treaty 8 as recognized by the government include:
- The right to education
- The right to health care
- Hunting and fishing rights
- The right to land
- The right to tax exemption
- Five dollars annually for every man woman and child
In contemporary Canada "Treaty Rights," can be
exercised by individuals who are "Treaty Indians" as recognized by the
government. That is, those who are members of a band who signed a treaty
or an adhesion of a treaty or those who are eligible for membership in
such a band as outlined by the government of Canada. Treaty rights vary
slightly within regions but Treaties 6, 7 and 8 bear more similarities
than differences. |