Old friends met at the site where Thomas Douglas – also known as Lord Selkirk – and Chief Peguis signed the Peguis Selkirk Treaty 200 years ago.

James Selkirk – formerly James Douglas-Hamilton – the current Lord Selkirk of Douglas and descendent of Thomas Douglas met with Chief Jim Bear of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation, who is a descendent of Chief Peguis.

They met at Fort Douglas Park on Waterfront Drive yesterday afternoon.  

In 1817 Chief Peguis, Thomas Douglas – who was the fifth earl of Selkirk – and four other Chiefs signed the treaty, which gave plots of land near the Red and Assiniboia Rivers to settlers while the Indigenous people kept their land.

The treaty marked the beginning of a partnership between Indigenous peoples and the Selkirk Settlers and paved the way for Winnipeg’s growth as a city.

“When the settlers arrived here Lord Selkirk had no issue provisioning the land to people but the key was they had to farm it, and that was difficult because of five long months of ice and snow,” said Lord James Selkirk. “Chief Peguis helped them in a life-and-death situation because he had the knowledge and expertise to get them through that.”

“The settlers regarded him with the utmost admiration because they feel he helped many families with young children avoid death,” he continued. “That’s a memory that remained with them as long as they lived.”

“This is significant because it was 200 years ago so this is prior to Canada even becoming a country,” added Bear. “This was nation-to-nation and the intent was to live in peace and harmony.”

Douglas left after the treaty was signed, with an agreement to return to the colony a number of years later. However he fell ill not long after he returned to Europe and died in France in 1820.

His death didn’t stop Chief Peguis from honouring the agreement, according to Lord James Selkirk.

Bear says the Peguis Selkirk Treaty became the framework for future treaties, which were unfortunately broken, leading to a long and horrid history for Canada’s Indigenous people that continues today.

“It was treaties in 1871 and after that that were not honoured,” said Bear. “Despite the dark history of our people in this country, I believe the blue print set by Lord Selkirk and Chief Peguis can inspire people to work towards reconciliation.”

Bear believes the main messages of the signing of the treaty can be a framework for the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

“I want people to understand that sentiment and that spirit of how our ancestors placed a great deal on friendship,” Bear said. “With the dark history of our people, reconciliation has to happen.”

The treaty paved the way for the Red River Settlement and significantly aided Winnipeg’s growth into a major Canadian city. Lord James Selkirk says the settlement’s success had other positive impacts as well.

“It was a very volatile period because around the same time the Americans invaded Ontario and wanted to take over Canada but the success of the (Red River) settlement meant they couldn’t take Manitoba,” said Selkirk. “Without Chief Peguis’ help that could have changed drastically.”

Selkirk will join Bear at Brokenhead Ojibway Nation today (July 17) and will be meeting with other Indigenous leaders throughout the week. He will also be participating in The main ceremony honouring the exact date when the treaty was signed is taking place Tuesday, July 18 at the Neeginan Centre and Centre for Aboriginal Resource Development on Higgins Ave in Winnipeg.  

Selkirk and Bear will be joined by Chief Glenn Hudson of the Peguis First Nation at that ceremony and Bear is hopeful they can show Selkirk how industrious and hardworking Manitoba’s Indigenous people are.

“I think Lord Selkirk is going to learn how much we contribute to the economy,” said Bear. “We want to show everyone that.”

Bear says the partnership that started 200 years ago is continuing today, and he hopes it will continue on for future generations.

“I’ve kept in contact with Lord Selkirk over the years and dined in the House of Lords with him,” said Bear. “We were treated very well and we hope to do the same for him.”

For more information on the events surrounding the anniversary, visit peguisselkirk200.ca.