‘Supposed to live in peace, respect and friendship’: Treaty Commissioner works to strengthen relationships through education

From there, she worked with different organizations in policy and community development, the federal government and with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

After earning her phD, she began teaching in the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Political Studies prior to becoming the commissioner.

“The treaties are interprovincial and they’re international in the sense that they’re nation to nation and involve and involve a number of different nations across Canada and globally,” she said.

Walker explained that while the office is cognizant of the importance of those relationships, their main focus is on those within Saskatchewan.

“Our work is really oriented towards again, strengthening and advocating for a strong treaty relationship between the Crown and First Nations,” she said.

The office achieves this by providing analysis, research and education on treaty and treaty related issues and Walker said additionally, they enhance awareness and understanding.

“We’re all beneficiaries of the treaty relationship,” she said.

“That work definitely involves supporting commemorative activities and awareness activities and educational activities surrounding treaty and really also helping regular residents – citizens – to strengthen their treaty relationships,” Walker added of the societal perspective.

Among the activities include the invitation by Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation to King Charles for the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6. Another has been looking into the exoneration of Mistahi-Maskwa (Chief Big Bear) who was found guilty of treason following the North-West Resistance of 1885 and later sentenced to Stony Mountain Penitentiary.

“Again, it’s really the ancestors of Chief Big Bear and also different First Nations and communities and also some reconciliation circles that are also really supportive of that,” Walker said.

“It has to do with strengthening that treaty relationship by providing a more accurate shared history of these lands.”

Of the reconciliation circles, Walker explained that it was about orienting everyone back towards the original vision of treaty.

“That’s something that we’ve really supported is helping to strengthen networks in communities of grassroots people who are really committed to forging better relationships,” she said.

“We’re all supposed to live in peace, respect and friendship with one another.”

To further develop that mandate, they have developed a treaty learning journey, which is a two-day workshop to educate not just individuals but organizations and community as well.

“Basically, anyone who wants to know about the pre-contact or pre-treaty, like conceptual foundation of the First Nations’ view of treaty making,” she said.

“First Nations were making treaties with one other long before they made treaty with European settlers.”

Along with learning about the history, participants will also learn about the implementation of these treaties and their futures. The office also hosts the Treaty Table.

“Representatives of the Crown and First Nations can come together and discuss issues of common concern related to treaty issues and treaty implementation,” she said.

“There’s a lot of different issues that arise from that and so, we also provide research or context papers that table.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: juleslovett.bsky.social

by Julia Lovett-Squires

‘Supposed to live in peace, respect and friendship’: Treaty Commissioner works to strengthen relationships through education

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