The Treaties: A Primer On Recent Violations

The Idle No More movement and Chief Theresa Spence have recently brought a lot of attention to the Treaties. Some people may be wondering: are the Treaties still relevant? And even if they are, has Canada really not lived up to its obligations? The answers may surprise you. The treaties play a significant role in contemporary legal and political disputes. And the Crown has indeed violated the Treaties, many times and in many ways. It’s a long conversation, but here’s a place to start: some recent examples of the Crown violating the treaties, and what the Supreme Court of Canada did about it. Watch this space in days to come for more about the kinds of treaties we have in Canada, the role of Treaties in our history and constitutional framework, how to understand and interpret them (spoiler alert: the written text is just the beginning), and the significance of treaties in our day to day lives.

By Bryce Edwards