2. Where it all went down…
Reclaiming PKOLS
WSANEC
understandings of
the Treaty tell a
different story.
One that supports
ideas of peace and
co-existence… NOT
SURRENDER OF LAND
http://youtu.be/LIGoBYjL
Poo?t=1m20s
3. The Douglas Treaties
James Douglas:
Colonial Governor
from 1851 -1864
Followed
instructions from
Colonial Office (p
86) which ignored
existing aboriginal
ideas of land use.
4. The Douglas Treaties
Victoria, Saanich, Sooke, Nanaimo, and
Port Hardy are covered by the Douglas
Treaties.
Negotiated 14 treaties between 1850-
1854 on Vancouver Island.
We are sitting on Douglas Treaty land right
now.
5. Treaty Terms
First Nations land was
surrendered “entirely
and forever” in
exchange for cash,
clothing, or blankets.
Existing village sites &
fields were kept for
their use.
First Nations kept the
right to “hunt over
unoccupied lands”
and “carry on their
fisheries as formerly”
6. The Douglas System
Douglas stopped signing treaties after
1854 and shifted to creating “Indian
reserves”
Most reserves were in areas where settlers
were moving to start farming like the
Fraser Valley and the Interior.
8. The Douglas System
Douglas allowed First Nations to pre-empt
the land (p87) which meant they could
own it, much like new immigrants if they
cleared the land and farmed it…
BUT… this upset new settlers who were
outnumbered by First Nations and were
worried all the good land would
be gone….
so after Douglas it was no
longer allowed.
9. Douglas’s Legacy
His policies of reserve creation after the 14
treaties he signed ignored Aboriginal title
and gave the impression that it did not
exist.
He left his successors with the idea that
each family would only get 10 acres.
10. Joseph Trutch
Followed Douglas as the administrator of
First Nations policies.
He ignored aboriginal title, shrank reserve
size.
His world view saw
the land as empty
and free for the
taking.
11. Joseph Trutch
“The title of the
Indians in the fee of
the public lands, or
any portion thereof
has never been
acknowledged by
Government, but,
on the contrary, is
distinctly denied”
12. Have these treaties been kept?
In groups read the
section that you are
assigned.
Summarize the
problems it points out
regarding the
Douglas Treaties
Share with the class.
