Indigenous History Month: The Unfulfilled Promises of Treaty Agreements in Manitoba

Treaty Number One Medals at the Manitoba Museum tell a First Nations Story  - Manitoba Museum

Indigenous History Month is a time to honour the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Turtle Island. It's a time for celebration, but it's also a moment for reflection, especially on the promises made through treaties and the resistance towards colonial policies. In Manitoba, Treaties 1, 3, and 5 were meant to establish peaceful and respectful relationships between the Crown and Indigenous nations. Instead, they’ve become reminders of how those promises were broken and the injustices that Indigenous communities continue to face today.

Understanding the Treaties in Manitoba

• Treaty 1, signed in 1871, was the first of the numbered treaties and covers a large part of southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg. It was intended to ensure land, support, and ongoing relationships between the Crown and the Anishinaabe and Cree peoples.

• Treaty 3, signed 2 years later in 1873, includes parts of southeastern Manitoba and extends into northwestern Ontario. This area is where our water for Winnipeg and surrounding regions receive safe, drinkable water from Shoal Lake.

• Treaty 5, signed 2-25 years later between 1875 and 1908, covers much of northern Manitoba. This Treaty promised protections for Indigenous lands, rights, and access to education and healthcare.

These promises were not upheld. Instead, the Crown pushed Indigenous peoples off their territories, destroyed the buffalo population, limited their access to other resources, and imposed colonial systems that disrupted traditional ways of life. This created deep and ongoing inequities including underfunded schools, unsafe drinking water, poor healthcare access, and environmental degradation.

The Red River Resistance & the North-West Rebellion

Indigenous leaders have continuously resisted injustice, and Louis Riel stands out as a symbol of that resistance. A Métis politician, poet, and activist, Riel led two major movements to defend Métis land and cultural rights: the Red River Resistance (1869–70) and the North-West Rebellion (1885).

During the Red River Resistance, Riel helped to establish a provisional government to negotiate Manitoba’s entry into Confederation, ensuring protections for Métis land and language rights. His efforts led to the Manitoba Act, which was supposed to secure Métis land, but those protections were quickly undermined and Métis families were displaced.

Fifteen years later, Louis Riel led the North-West Rebellion (also known as the North-West Resistance), a last-ditch effort to fight for Métis and First Nations rights in what is now Saskatchewan. Métis communities at this time were being ignored by the federal government, their petitions dismissed, and their food sources disappearing due to the colonizers intentional mass extinction of the buffalo. Riel and his allies, including Cree leaders like Poundmaker and Big Bear, demanded fair treatment, land rights, and supplies.

The resistance was violently suppressed by military force. Louis Riel was captured, tried for treason, and executed by hanging. Chief Poundmaker was blamed for an attack on colonizer troops during the resistance. After the conflict was over, he was arrested and imprisoned for treason. He died shortly after being released. Big bear, like Riel and Poundmaker, was arrested for treason and died in 1888. Today, they are finally remembered not as a criminals, but instead as advocates for Indigenous and Métis self-determination.

Unfulfilled Promises and Ongoing Struggles

The legacy of broken treaty promises continues to shape the realities of many Indigenous communities in Manitoba. One of the most visible areas is in education. While treaties included guarantees for proper schooling, many First Nations schools are still underfunded. As recently as the past decade, Indigenous schools were receiving roughly 30% less per student compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. This gap greatly impacts student success, graduation rates, and long-term opportunities.

Healthcare is another area where treaty obligations have been ignored. Indigenous communities often face higher rates of diabetes, respiratory illness, and mental health challenges, yet face barriers to accessing services. Underfunding, jurisdictional confusion, and a lack of culturally appropriate care continue to put Indigenous health at risk.

The Keeyask Dam and Environmental Injustice

Treaty violations are ongoing. The Keeyask Hydropower Project, located on the Nelson River in northern Manitoba, is a recent example. While Manitoba Hydro partnered with four First Nations on the project, concerns have been raised about whether communities were truly given the ability to give or withhold free, prior, and informed consent.

The dam has flooded traditional lands, sacred sites, and altered ecosystems. One major concern is the impact on sturgeon, which is a culturally significant and endangered species in this region. These ancient fish, vital to both the environment and to many Indigenous diets and traditions, are at an increased risk due to water levels changing, erosion, and habitat loss caused by dam construction. Projects like the Keeyask dam and many others show how economic development can threaten Indigenous rights and environmental sustainability.

Moving Forward with UNDRIP and the Calls to Action

In 2007, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) — a framework that affirms Indigenous rights to land, culture, language, and self-determination. UNDRIP calls for nations to consult with Indigenous peoples on decisions that affect them, and to obtain their free, prior, and informed consent before proceeding with developments on their land.

Canada has committed to implementing UNDRIP, but progress has been slow. In Manitoba, adopting UNDRIP principles could help close the gap between treaty promises and real outcomes by ensuring Indigenous communities have power in decisions around land use, education, healthcare, and governance.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Calls to Action offer concrete steps toward reconciliation. These include full implementation of UNDRIP, correcting funding disparities in education and health, and ensuring Indigenous-led approaches to justice and governance are respected. Two of the many aspects are supporting land-based education and language revitalization, which help youth reconnect with their identities and empower future generations.

A Month to Remember, Reflect, and Act on a Path Forward

Indigenous History Month is more than a celebration. It is a reminder of what still needs to change. The legacies of Treaties 1, 3, and 5, and the leadership of Chief Big Bear, Poundmaker, Louis Riel, and more, reveal a long history of resistance, and advocacy for a better future. At the same time, ongoing environmental and social injustices, from hydro projects to endangered species, show that reconciliation is not just about redressing the past.

For true reconciliation, we must listen to Indigenous voices, honour treaty relationships, and take action. That means holding governments accountable to their promises, protecting the environment, investing in Indigenous education and health, and building respectful partnerships grounded in truth. By engaging with these histories, supporting Indigenous-led solutions, and acting on the 94 Calls to Action, we can help build a future where Indigenous rights are not just recognized but are upheld and celebrated.