- Read the following paper:
Turner, N. J. (2016). “We give them seaweed”: Social economic exchange and resilience in Northwestern North America. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 15(1), 5 – 15. Retrieved from http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/33546
a. (12 marks) Write a 3-2-1 report in the usual fashion using the form on the course web site.
b. (3 marks) The Canadian government has often limited Indigenous hunting and fishing to a small, subsistence scale: “that which could be consumed by the fisher [or hunter] and his or her family” (Douglas Harris, quoted in First Nations Studies Program (2009)). Based on what you learned from reading the article, is small-scale ‘food fishing/hunting’ of this type enough to preserve Indigenous cultures and traditional ways of life? Explain your reasoning.
- Read the following article from the textbook, paying special attention to the government’s claims about their goals in signing treaties, and how life will be for Indigenous people after signing a treaty:
III.13 The Signing of Treaty 8 (1899), pp. 191 – 197
Once you have done that, read the following articles from the textbook, which give some examples of how the government acted toward Indigenous people (and settlers) after an earlier treaty was signed:
III.12 Hunger, Rations and Hayter Reed (1882), pp. 189 – 191
III.16 Conflict Over Urban Land (1882), pp. 204 – 205
a. (3 marks) Based on the above readings, give one way in which the government’s actions as of 1882 are consistent with its position regarding treaties in 1899. (e.g. “In 1899, the government claimed they “”, and in 1882 they had done exactly that, when they .”)
b. (6 marks) Based on the above readings, give two ways in which the government’s actions as of 1882 are not consistent with its position regarding treaties in 1899. (e.g. “In 1899, the government claimed they “”, but in 1882 , which went against their 1899 claim because .”)
Way 1:
Way 2:
- In December of 1854, several tribes near Nanaimo signed a very unusual treaty with the Hudson’s Bay Company, who at the time had control of Vancouver Island. At least since 1964, this brief agreement has been interpreted by Canadian courts as having the force of a Treaty negotiated directly with the Queen. The Nanaimo treaty signed away tribal rights to land in exchange for a one-time payment of European goods, the preservation of traditional hunting and fishing rights, and the right for them and their descendants to continue to make use of their villages.
In this question, you will try to answer a seemingly simple question: was the treaty fair?
The definition of fairness will be based on the four criteria suggested by ‘The Governor’s Letters Teacher’s Guide’, a treaty analysis activity recommended for grades 9 – 12.
I. “Free authorized consent: Negotiations are fair only if one party is not unduly pressured by the other party to make a deal and that both parties have authority to enter into the agreement.”
II. “No significant intentional deception: Negotiations are unfair if one party intentionally tries to deceive or trick the other party about very important matters in the agreement.”
III. “Fundamental understanding: Negotiations are unfair if one party suspects that the other party may be grossly confused or ill-informed about the terms of the agreement, and does not make a sincere attempt to clarify the confusion.”
IV. “Reasonable value under the circumstances: Although one side may benefit more than another, especially if one party is desperate to sell, the value of the exchange must not be grossly lopsided from the outset in favour of one of the parties.”
When answering the following questions, please rate the fairness on the following scale (taken from a worksheet that accompanies the Teacher’s Guide):
4 – Very fair
3 – Mostly fair
2 – Mostly unfair
1 – Very unfair
0 – Can’t tell
Note: When you justify your reasoning, be sure to refer to specific evidence from the sources provided. (e.g. “It is clear that Douglas thought the coal was valuable as early as 1852, because in his letter of 11 November 1852 he wrote that the ‘prosperity of the country’ depended in great measure on it.”)
a. (4 marks) Criteria I & II: Free Authorized Consent & No Significant Intentional Deception
Fairness (0 to 4): __
Justify your reasoning:
b. (4 marks) Criterion III: Fundamental Understanding
Fairness (0 to 4): __
Justify your reasoning:
c. (4 marks) Criterion IV: Reasonable Value Under the Circumstances
Fairness (0 to 4): __
Justify your reasoning:
Sample Solution