Keewatin v. Minister of Natural Resources

Part 11. Post-Treaty Events 224[1161] In mid-September, after they had gathered and stored wood for the older family memberswho wintered at the Reserve, the family travelled two-three days by freighter canoe to theirwinter trap line. Along the way, they would hunt and trap. After reaching their trap line, theywould ensure their cabin was well maintained, and gather and store wood for the winter. Hisolder brothers helped their father hunt, setting traps and snares to catch beaver, otter, mink andother animals.[1162] When he was very young, Fobister would remain in the cabin with his mother and learnfrom her how to preserve animal pelts. He would help her bring in wood and haul water. Shemade moccasins, gloves, jackets and pants from the pelts. His father sold fur and pelts to theHBC.[1163] They lived on their trap line throughout the winter and into the spring, eating deer,moose, beaver, lake trout, walleye, northerns and sucker meat, supplemented with wild rice,dried blueberries and produce preserved from their gardens. A dog team was used to haul woodand meat and to travel to buy food at the closest store, about 15-20 kilometres away.2011 ONSC 4801 (CanLII)[1164] In April after the wolf and fox moulted, the family would move to another location totrap muskrat, otter and beaver. They would then return to the Reserve and prepare the garden foranother year.[1165] Treaty Days. About the end of May or early June, "Treaty Days" were held. A Euro-Canadian group that included medical practitioners [doctor, dentist, X-ray technician],missionaries, representatives of Lands and Forests [now the MNR] and the RCMP together withthe Indian Agent would visit the Grassy Narrows Reserve. Their journey involved taking theCNR to the Jones station and then travelling 40 km north by canoe for two to three days to reachthe Reserve.[1166] The women would dress up in their best clothes. When seeing the doctor/dentist, etc.,band members who spoke English would help those who did not.[1167] Fobister described on November 24, 2009 the main event, the distribution by the IndianAgent of the Treaty annuities of $5 per person, as follows:A. …The Indian agent will be sitting in the table, my dad used to string us in a line… and he wasgiven the $5. Right next to the Indian agent, my dad would have his treaty money, his $5, and rightnext to MNR, he would pass this five bucks to get his trapper's licence, and there goes his treatymoney.His parents used the $5 received for each child to buy clothes or whatever was needed.[1168] Fobister said he understood they were receiving the annuity payments for sharing theirland.[1169] The Ojibwe words for Indian Agent are shoniya okimah or Anishnabe okimah, meaningthe Indians' boss. The word for the MNR representative was Kakaanawaytunk, meaning asteward, "a person who takes care of things for you." Fobister understood the MNR was helpingthe Indian Agent take care of the land, watch for forest fires and put them out. When he was