Hundreds anticipated for Robinson Huron Treaty gathering

Hundreds of Anishinaabe people from across northeastern Ontario are expected to attend this year’s Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering in Garden River First Nation and Sault Ste. Marie this week — 173 years removed from when the treaty was first signed in the Baawaating area.    

The three-day event takes place Sept. 7 to 9 and will feature a number of presentations and workshops revolving around the treaty and treaty rights, in addition to cultural teachings that will be held in a traditional teaching lodge outside the Garden River Community Centre. 

The annual gathering was launched in 2016 by Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin, an organization that aims to exert sovereignty over Robinson Huron Treaty territory while bringing awareness to the treaty amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.  

“It’s a way to gather strength from each other and from our ancestors as well, because there’s a lot of cultural parts that are brought into it,” said lead organizer Steven McCoy. 

A number of sacred, historical items that once belonged to Chief Shingwauk — the Anishinaabe leader of Garden River who signed the Robinson Huron Treaty in 1850 — have been returned to the First Nation by the Royal Ontario Museum and will be displayed publicly at this year’s gathering. 

Items on display will include a war club and a 200-year-old pipe that once belonged to Chief Shingwauk, in addition to historic medals that have been sitting in safety deposit boxes for a number of years.      

“We don’t know how long they have been in storage — a lot of them have been in storage at the Royal Ontario Museum for many years and have been away from the community,” McCoy said of the items. “It’s pretty significant that these items are being returned to the community for this gathering.”

Nearly 800 people from across Robinson Huron Treaty territory, which stretches from Parry Sound to Sudbury and North Bay to Sault Ste. Marie, have registered for this year’s gathering.   

“We are expecting large numbers this year due to the high-profile media attention around the recent settlement agreement,” McCoy said. 

This past June, the federal and provincial governments announced a proposed $10-billion settlement with the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF), the representative for the 21 Robinson Huron First Nations in the high-profile court case, after the Ontario Superior Court determined that the Crown failed to increase treaty annuity payments for the Anishinaabeg as resource revenues within the treaty territory increased over time. 

Prior to the landmark ruling, annuity payments to treaty beneficiaries had been capped at $4 for more than a century. 

The ruling, which has since been upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal, will be appealed by the province in the Supreme Court of Canada this fall, despite the proposed settlement. The federal government has chosen not to appeal the decision. 

The settlement includes $5 billion from Canada and $5 billion from Ontario to be paid to all of the First Nations included in the treaty. 

During community consultation sessions held in Robinson Huron First Nations over the summer, treaty beneficiaries heard that the proposed settlement is expected to be finalized in November, with funds expected to trickle down to First Nations early next year.    

An announcement related to the $10-billion settlement agreement will be held at GFL Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie Saturday, where representatives of the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund will speak about the importance of the treaty, the annuities court case and the proposed settlement. 

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford will also be on hand on behalf of Canada and Ontario for the announcement, which will coincide with the 173rd anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty.  

Craft vendors, a drum social and live entertainment will round out this year’s agenda. 

“The treaty gathering is open to the public as well, that’s why it’s important we emphasize that — it’s not just for Indigenous people, we want everyone to come and participate,” said McCoy. “Anyone who is interested in the treaty itself, or wants to learn more about this area, are welcome to come and participate free of charge.”

The full agenda for this year’s treaty gathering can be found here.