Treaty First Nations as key economic partners was a topic of discussion yesterday at the Saskatchewan Forum 2013 in Saskatoon.
Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox was the keynote speaker.
He says the original treaties that were signed between the Crown and First Nations promised an equal economic partnership but the Indian Act destroyed that.
“At the same token, though, when the elders and leaders were entering into Treaty Number 6, there was legislation in Ottawa that was passed in August called the infamous Indian Act,” he says. “No one was told in Fort Pitt, and Fort Carlton and Fort Edmonton that there was this machine coming that was going to destroy all that was negotiated on.”
The two-day forum, hosted by the Conference Board of Canada, wrapped up yesterday.