Table of Contents i CITATION: Keewatin v. Minister of Natural Resources 2011 ONSC 4801 Court File No. 05-CV-281875PD Date: 20110816 ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE B E T W E E N: ) ) ANDREW KEEWATIN JR. and JOSEPH ) Robert J.M. Janes, Karey Brooks, Barbara WILLIAM FOBISTER on their own behalf ) Harvey for the Plaintiffs and on behalf of all other members of ) GRASSY NARROWS FIRST NATION ) Plaintiffs ) 2011 ONSC 4801 (CanLII) - and - ) ) MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES ) Michael R. Stephenson, Peter Lemmond, and ABITIBI-CONSOLIDATED INC. ) Christine Perruzza, Mark Crow for the Defendants ) Defendant Minister of Natural Resources ) ) Christopher J. Matthews, Marina Sampson ) for the Defendant Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. - and - ) ) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA ) Gary Penner, Michael McCulloch, Barry Third Party ) Ennis for the Third Party ) ) HEARD: September 14-16; October 5-6, 9, ) 13-16, 19-23; November 16-18, 23-27; ) December 1-4, 7, 9-10, 14-16, 2009; ) January 14, 15, 18-22, 25-29; February 16- ) 19, 22-26; March 1; April 19-22, 26-30; ) May 1, 3, 2010 M.A. SANDERSON J. REASONS FOR JUDGMENT Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 Ontario's Position.................................................................................................................... 1 The Ojibway Position ............................................................................................................. 2 The Issues to be Decided ........................................................................................................3 Table of Contents ii Question One ...................................................................................................................... 3 Question Two...................................................................................................................... 4 Evidentiary Matters................................................................................................................. 4 2. THE ORGANIZATION OF THESE REASONS....................................................................... 5 3. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 7 Question One .......................................................................................................................... 9 Question Two........................................................................................................................ 10 4. EURO-CANADIAN HISTORY 1758-1871 ............................................................................ 11 The Historical/Political Evidence ............................................................................................. 11 Factors Leading to Federal Control Over Indian Affairs.......................................................... 11 1756 - Confederation ............................................................................................................11 British Military Policies.................................................................................................... 11 The Royal Proclamation of 1763 ...................................................................................... 12 Circumstances Leading to Confederation and the Post-Confederation Treaties ...................... 15 2011 ONSC 4801 (CanLII) British Economic Policies..................................................................................................... 15 Euro-Canadian Contact with the Treaty 3 Ojibway from the Euro-Canadian Perspective ...... 16 The HBC Territories .............................................................................................................16 The Hind & Palliser Expeditions .......................................................................................... 17 1860: Transfer of Imperial Administration of Indian Affairs to the United Canadas .......... 18 1861-1867 ............................................................................................................................. 18 The Lead Up To Confederation................................................................................................ 19 Negotiations re Annexation of the West............................................................................... 19 Discussions re Jurisdiction over Indians/Indian Lands......................................................... 19 The Provenance of S. 91(24) ................................................................................................ 20 1. Availability of the HBC Territories .............................................................................. 20 2. The Existence of Indian Policy Tradition ..................................................................... 21 The Federal/Provincial Relationship..................................................................................... 22 Confederation - 1867 ............................................................................................................23 Other Events After Confederation Relevant to the Parties' Understanding of Canada's Powers and Obligations to Indians in 1873........................................................................................... 23 Establishment of a Canadian Department of Indian Affairs................................................. 23 Other Developments ............................................................................................................. 24 1868....................................................................................................................................... 25 1869....................................................................................................................................... 27 The 1869 Demand Document ........................................................................................... 28 Progress on the Construction of the Dawson Route ......................................................... 29 Insurrection at the Red River ............................................................................................ 29 1870....................................................................................................................................... 30 1871....................................................................................................................................... 34 1872....................................................................................................................................... 37 5. THE OJIBWAY PERSPECTIVE - OJIBWAY HISTORY ..................................................... 38 The Life and Culture of the Ojibway/European Contact to 1871............................................. 39 Social Structure................................................................................................................. 39 Governance ....................................................................................................................... 39 Table of Contents iii Religion............................................................................................................................. 39 The Seasonal Round ......................................................................................................... 40 Communication and Language ......................................................................................... 41 European Contact.................................................................................................................. 42 The Contact with Palliser and Hind Expeditions.................................................................. 42 Palliser Expedition............................................................................................................ 42 Hind Expedition................................................................................................................ 42 Relations and Contacts with Other Ojibway......................................................................... 43 American Ojibway............................................................................................................ 43 Ojibway to the East........................................................................................................... 44 Post-Confederation Contact with Euro-Canadians in the Treaty 3 Area.............................. 46 Territorial Concepts .............................................................................................................. 46 1871 Treaty Negotiations.......................................................................................................... 46 Ojibway to the West (Treaties 1 and 2) ............................................................................ 48 2011 ONSC 4801 (CanLII) 1872 Negotiations..................................................................................................................... 49 6. LEAD-UP TO THE 1873 NEGOTIATIONS........................................................................... 52 7. THE 1873 NEGOTIATIONS ................................................................................................... 57 The Documents......................................................................................................................... 57 1. The Shorthand Reporter's Account/The Manitoban Newspaper Account.......................