Keewatin v. Minister of Natural Resources

Part 7. The 1873 Negotiations 69this Shebandowan Indian – Blackstone. The effect of which was very felicitous, and the Council thenbroke up for the purpose of enabling the Indians once more to consider the matter.The Governor told them that he was not permitted to accede to their demands, was … departing ifthey did not accept his terms, and advised them strongly for the sake of their families to accept whatwas offered them. …[349] The Manitoban report (again showing Morris' additions in bold and deletions in italics asbefore) contains the following:THIRD DAY. [Oct 2]Proceedings were opened at 11 [eleven] o'clock by the Governor announcing that he was ready tohear what the Chiefs had to say. The Fort Frances Chief acted as spokesman [assisted by anotherChief, Powhassan].Ma-ni-to-bah-sis [Ma-we-do-pe-nais] – I now lay down before you the opinions of those you haveseen before. We think it a great [th]ing to meet you here. What we have heard yesterday, and as yourepresented yourself, you said the Queen sent you here, the way we understood you as arepresentative of the Queen. All this is our property where you have come. We have understood youyesterday that her Majesty has given you the same power and authority as she has, to act in thisbusiness; you said the Queen gave you her goodness, her charitableness in your hands. This is whatwe think, that the Great Spirit has planted us on this ground where we are… We think where we areis our property. I will tell you what he said to us when he [he] planted us here; the rules that weshould follow –us Indians – He has given us rules that we should follow to [] govern [us] rightly. Wehave understood you that you have opened your charitable heart to us like a person taking off hisgarments and throwing them to all of us here. Now, first of all, I have a few words to address to thisgentleman (Mr. Dawson). When he understood rightly what was my meaning yesterday, he threwhimself on your help. I think I have a right to follow him to where he flew when I spoke to him on thesubject yesterday. We will follow up the subject from the point we took it up. I want to answer whatwe heard from you yesterday, in regard to the money that you have promised us yesterday to eachindividual. I want to talk about the rules that we had laid down before. It is four years back since they[we] have made these rules. …a Council that has been agreed upon by all the Indians. I do not wishthat I should be regarded [required] to say twice what I am now going to lay down. We ask $15[fifteen] dollars for all that you see, and for the children that are to be born in future. This year onlywe ask for $15 [fifteen dollars]; years after $10 [ten dollars]; our Chiefs $50 [fifty dollars] per yearfor every year [and other demands of large amounts in writing, say $125,000 yearly].2011 ONSC 4801 (CanLII)Another Chief – I take my standing point from here. Our councillors have in Council come to thisconclusion, that they should have $20 [twenty dollars] each; our warriors, $15 [fifteen dollars]; ourpopulation, $15 [fifteen dollars]. We have now laid down the conclusion of our Councils by ourdecisions. We tell you our wishes are not divided. We are all of one mind. (Paper put in before theGovernor for these demands.) [The 1869 Demands were reproduced but are omitted here]:…[Lake Seul] Chief – I now let you know the opinions of us here. We would not wish that anyoneshould smile at our affairs, as we think our country is a large matter to us. If you grant us what iswritten on that paper, then we will talk about the reserves; we have decided in Council for the benefitof those that will be born hereafter. If you do so the treaty will be finished, I believe.Governor – I quite agree that this is no matter to smile at. I think that the decision of to-day is onethat affects yourselves and your children after, but you must recollect that this is the third time ofnegotiating. If we do not shake hands and make our Treaty to-day, I do not know when it will bedone, as the Queen's Government will think you do not wish to treat with her. You told me that youunderstood that I represented the Queen's Government to you and that I opened my heart to you, butyou must recollect that if you are a Council there is another great Council that governs a great