Bob Beal & Rod Macloed
Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers,1984

In 1869-70 First Nations people of the Canadian Northwest Territories learned of the land transaction between the Canadian government and the Hudson's Bay Company (H.B.C.). Native people were firmly convinced that the land clearly belonged to them, not the H.B.C. or the Canadian government. In 1871 to demonstrate this point, the great Cree chief, Sweetgrass wrote Lieutenant Governor Archibald of the Northwest Territories, stating that the people did not want to sell the land and furthermore no one had the right to sell the land. It was however quite clear to many elders that drastic change was needed. The great buffalo herds were all but extinct by 1870. The plains people had been devastated by continuous epidemics, which had never been seen amongst the people before the arrival of Europeans.

The H.B.C. factors themselves continually warned the government officials that steps needed to be taken to aid the plight of the plains nations or wide spread starvation would set in which could also lead to violence.

The relationship between the First Nations people of the west and the white settlers prior to 1874 had always been a peaceful one. The great Cree, Nakota, Dakota and Siksika nations had always chosen peaceful relationships. Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris, the governor of Manitoba and the North West Territories, was instructed in 1874 to travel to the Qu'Appelle valley region and enter into a land surrender agreement with the Cree and Lakota of the region, which would be referred to as Treaty No. 4. Morris was rather taken a back by the First Nations attitude toward the sale of land by the H.B.C. to the Canadian government. A First Nations speaker, Gambler, at the meeting showed his anger about the sale of land and continually pressed Morris for an answer. Morris simply stated that the Treaty Commission had nothing to do with the sale of land. Morris claimed that God had given the land to the Queen who in turn allowed the H.B.C. and native peoples the right to use it. Gambler continually pressed for more information about the sale of land, but Morris pretended not to understand the questions. Paskwaw, a leading chief, pointed at a H.B.C. official who he claimed had told him that the company had sold the land for 300,000 pounds. Paskwaw reasoned that if the company sold the land and the land belonged to the people, the people now wanted the money. It became quite clear that Morris was not going to deal with the land transfer issue, therefore the treaty negotiations would continue.

Arguments over the amount of money paid to chiefs and headmen were ironed out, but the payment was less than what had occurred in Treaty No. 3. There was little discussion about farm animals because most of this had been dealt with in Treaty Three. However unlike other treaties, the Elders demanded that their cousins, the Metis, also be dealt with fairly. The treaty contained money payments, equipment for farming, cattle, oxen, ammunition ($750.00 /year) as well as twine and fishing nets. Each chief would be given a uniform medals and flags. Liquor would be prohibited on reserves as requested by most Reserves. Schools would be established and hunting rights would be guaranteed. Treaty Four negotiations had been a success in the eyes of the federal government.

In 1875 Methodist missionary, George McDougal, was sent to contact the Cree people of the Saskatchewan region. He reported that many of the chiefs were very receptive to the idea of treaty negotiations with the Crown except for Big Bear who was very suspicious of the government's motives. "When we set a trap for a fox we scatter pieces of meat all around, but when the fox gets in to the trap we hit him on the head. We want no bait, let your chiefs come like men to come and talk with us." Mc Dougal warned that many chiefs would not allow roads or lines to be run across their land until treaties were negotiated.

Lieutenant Governor Morris arrived at Fort Carlton in 1876. A number of Cree, Saulteaux and Metis people had halfheartedly tried to prevent Morris from arriving in the Fort Carlton region. Morris felt that he could get the support for the treaty from two influential leaders like Mistiwasis and Star Blanket. These two were anxious for their people to make the transition from hunting to farming. However Beardy refused to meet with Morris unless he came to Duck Lake. Morris refused the demand. The negotiations began for Treaty 6 at Fort Carlton with Peter Erasmus being the chief interpreter. Morris was surprised by the hard line many of the chiefs were taking. Morris himself had taken a much more compromising position and conducted the negotations with far more patience and used a less condescending manner.

Poundmaker immediately rejected the Crown's offers by his opening statements. "This is our land. It isn't a piece of pemmican to be cut off and given in little pieces back to us. It is ours and we will take what we want." Mistawasis, on the other hand, spoke to those who dissented from the treaty, and said he understood the hardships of the people and the fact the days of glory and hunts on the plains were gone and would probably never come back. He challenged Badger and Poundmaker to come up with a better solution if they thought they could bring yesterday back. Starblanket supported Mistawasis by stating that it would be impossible to stop the white man from populating the west.

Poundmaker and Badger demanded that an inclusion be added that said that First Nations would never go hungry. Badger was accused, by Morris and others, to be asking far to much but Badger argued that the people did not want to be greedy and fed every day. They just wanted some protection. After much negotiating the Cree won the point and the general famine relief clause was added. Other small amendments were included but it was very similar to Treaty Four in nature. Poundmaker agreed to sign the document only because the majority of the people in his band wanted him to sign. Poundmaker was not convinced that this was the best deal possible.

In August of 1876 Treaty No. 6 was formally signed near Fort Carlton. A few days later Beardy and One Arrow also signed for the Parkland people. Some of the Plains Cree moved on to reserves immediately and began farming. Others were much slower and made only a halfhearted effort at farming. By 1879 most of the Plains Cree had taken reserve land, except for Big Bear who continually refused. In the same year the first major rumblings of discontent with treaties began to appear.