Treaty 2 territory – Today the Government of FNT2T spent the morning meeting Chief Barry McKay and Council at Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve (TTR) to discuss governance, infrastructure, collective development and relationship building.
Before the session started there was an exchange of gifts. Chief McKay started off with a prayer and welcomed everyone to the morning session. There was a moment to acknowledge the members within our local Nations who have been displaced from their homes because of no hydro due to the snow storm during the weekend.
The Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve is adhesion to Treaty No. 4 located south of the Duck Mountains within the Anishinaabe and Treaty 2 Territory. Their ancestral lands cover half of the Duck Mountains to the northern part of Riding Mountains.
The process of governance including law development is far from selling out and giving up anything for future generations. This is a gain and certainly something that enhances relations and strengthen the Anishinaabe territory for many generations.
“As Anishinaabe, we are all here to protect our inherent rights, our ancestral lands and our children. We believe in unity and believe in the steps needed for being a local Nation based, treaty-based government”, said Chief Barry McKay.
“Our working relationship with Tootinaowaziibeeng through the years has been great and their support towards FNT2T only strengthens us as Anishinaabe. We look forward to the next steps in governing ourselves the way it was prior to any treaty being made”, said Chief Norman Bone.
The FNT2T includes the member Councils and Circles that focus on specific areas of governance and law development, each has the purpose to support the member local Nations to establish local and territorial governance in those specific areas and the Regional Services that will look after Infrastructure, Programs and Services (IPS).
The local Nations within the territory have inherent rights long before the treaties were ever made and will be going after the Crown (Canada) for the Unfinished treaty business which includes; compensation for land taken up for immigration and settlement, implementation of the treaties and the taking back the lands that are unoccupied lands within the territory. All member local Nations are part of this process.
The Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve Chief and Council continues its relations with FNT2T and is an official member of the FNT2T Government. Their local Nation Helper will play a key role to begin communications and law development.
Last modified: October 18, 2019
