Part 3: Confederation, Historic Treaties -Interactive Experience: Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada

Описание: Welcome to the Interactive Experience: Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada at Pickering Public Library. This audio is to help guide you around the map, as you learn about Indigenous communities, Indigenous language groups, residential schools, treaties, and reserves across Canada. Please see a transcript of the audio tour below.

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Confederation
From 1864 to 1867, representatives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada, with British support, worked together to establish a new country which they would call the Dominion of Canada.
The British Parliament passed the British North America Act in 1867. The Dominion of Canada was officially born on July 1, 1867. Until 1982, July 1 was celebrated as “Dominion Day” to commemorate the day that Canada became a self-governing Dominion which has become what we know as Canada Day.
Historic Treaties
Starting in 1701 the British Crown entered into treaties with Indigenous groups in the British colonies of North America, which would later become parts of Canada. The Crown is the legal name for the British and later Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
Over the next 200 years, the Crown signed treaties that defined the respective rights of Indigenous peoples and European newcomers to use the North American lands that Indigenous peoples traditionally occupied. The historic treaties signed after 1763 provided large areas of land, occupied by First Nations, to the Crown, transferring their Indigenous title to the Crown in exchange for reserve lands and other benefits.
The treaty-making process was formally established by the Royal Proclamation of 1763, where on October 7, 1763, King George III issued a Royal Proclamation establishing a new administrative structure for the recently acquired territories in North America. He also established new rules and protocols for future relations with First Nations people.
The Government of Canada recognizes 70 historic treaties in Canada signed between 1701 and 1923. These treaties include:
• Treaties of Peace and Neutrality (1701-1760)
• Peace and Friendship Treaties (1725-1779)
• Upper Canada Land Surrenders and the Williams Treaties (1764-1862/1923)
• Robinson Treaties and Douglas Treaties (1850-1854)
• The Numbered T reaties No. 1-11 (1871-1921)
These treaties form the basis of the relationship between the Crown and 364 First Nations, representing over 600,000 First Nations peoples in Canada.
On this map, we will see historical treaty boundaries pre-1975 shown in a red broken line while modern treaties are in a dark grey dotted line which are treaties post-1975.
Canada and First Nations often have differing views with respect to the implementation of historic treaties. These issues are complex and are not easily resolved. Through vehicles such as Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination discussion tables, Canada and treaty First Nations are exploring ways to advance treaty rights and interests.


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Visit the Pickering Central Library Saturday, December 20, 2025 to Thursday, January 8, 2026 for the ‘Interactive Experience: Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada.’ This is an opportunity to explore a giant floor map of Canada to learn about Indigenous communities, Indigenous language groups, residential schools, treaties, and reserves across Canada.