The federal government has provided an apology to nine Dakota and Lakota nations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
A ceremony took place Monday Morning at Whitecap Dakota First Nation where the federal government delivered an apology to Dakota and Lakota Nations in the country.
At issue, was that these nations were labeled by Canada as American refugees.
With this label, the Dakota and Lakota were not included in many treaty negotiations, as Canada viewed them as being American despite their strong presence north of the border.
The Dakota and Lakota historically had a more fraught relationship with Canada, including having smaller reserves and fewer economic supports than other Indigenous groups because of their exclusion from treaty.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree delivered an apology for this historic wrong.
“Today on behalf of the government of Canada and behalf of all Canadians we seek to begin to amend this injustice with three simple words – ‘we are sorry,” said Anandasangaree to applause.
The Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister spoke on the history of help the Dakota and Lakota people provided this nation during many wars.
“Yet you were not welcomed by the Crown as cherished allies, but as American Indians and refugees,” he said. “This was wrong, you were allies, you were not refugees.”
In his apology, Anandasangaree said “words are hollow” if not followed by actions and says discussions on how to move forward will begin as soon as Monday afternoon.
(Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister walks in a Grand Entry moments before delivering an apology on behalf of the government to nin Dakota and Lakota First Nations. Photo by Joel Willick.)
Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear says the apology was “a long time coming.”
He spoke on how Dakota people were placed on smaller reservations taking away many opportunities.
“There was a discrimination against our people,” said Chief Bear. “That is all going to change going forward.”
The Whitecap Dakota chief then called for some form of compensation to correct the historical wrongs.
The First Nations included in the apology were Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, Dakota Plains Wahpeton Nation, Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, Canupawakpa First Nation, Dakota Tip, Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, Wahpeton Dakota Nation, Whitecap Dakota Nation, and Wood Mountain Lakota.
Dakota nations in Saskatchewan include Whitecap, Standing Buffalo, Wahpeton, and Wood Mountain.
(TOP PHOTO – Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation Chief Rodger Redman and Whitecap Dakota First Nation Darcy Bear lead the way in the Grand Entry. Photo by Joel Willick)