Page 58 - Beausoleil First Nation

Many treaties were granted for

as long as the sun shines

and the rivers flow.

One basic treaty right for all Status Indians is the right to
education. Our treaty rights came about in exchange for our
agreement to share our lands. It was agreed that all First
Nations people would be entitled to these rights, which in many
treaties were granted “for as long as the sun shines and the
rivers flow.” Despite these assurances, the federal government
has not always upheld their end of the treaty agreements, and
many First Nations, including our people, have been forced to
fight for these rights through the courts (the legal system). We
successfully argued in court for the Collins Treaty, and in 1999,
we received compensation from that treaty.

After a lengthy court process in the 1990s and early 2000s,
efforts were made to address compensation of agreements
that were never fulfilled in the Williams Treaties. In 2018, the
First Nations and governments of Canada and Ontario arrived
at a negotiated settlement of the Williams Treaties. (see The
Williams Treaties: A Chronology of Events, on page 70 of the
Resources section).

Treaty rights and how they are interpreted are an ongoing
concern for our First Nation. Ensuring that both parties honour
the spirit and intent of the treaties, making sure that treaty
agreements are fit to modern times, and ensuring that our right
to our traditional lands is not taken away are some of the major
issues in present-day treaty negotiations.

56 Beausoleil First Nation

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