Page 59 - Alderville First Nation

Treaty Rights

A treaty is a nation-to-nation agreement. To us, treaty rights
are a simple matter. They are all the items set down in our
treaties years ago to be honoured by both sides. Unfortunately,
some treaty agreements have often not been honoured. Rights
outlined in our treaties have been twisted, ignored, or stripped
away, depending upon the decisions of the government of
the time.

Treaties that we signed before Canada became a country have
always been contested by the Canadian government because WORDS TO KNOW
they were signed with the British Crown. Our Elders tell us compensation: payment for
that when our people signed the 1923 Williams Treaties, they loss, damage, or effort
were made to sign a blank piece of paper and they did not Crown: the source of power to
govern a country
receive enough compensation promised for the lands removed
municipality: a city, town,
from our control. Many things were promised verbally, such as
district, or other area with
additional reserve lands, and hunting and fishing rights. We work local government
hard to ensure that Canada honours these promises. .

If you live in a town or city, you live by the laws of the country,
the province, and the municipality. We also live by the laws of
the country and the province, as well as by the laws of our First
Nation. To receive benefits provided to the First Nation under
the treaties (e.g., health services), we must be registered and be
a member of a First Nation. For some benefits, we must reside in
the First Nation territory (i.e., the reserve).

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