Cree lawyer says cows and plows settlements don't reflect spirit of treaty clause

A Saskatchewan-based lawyer says "cows and plows" settlements do not reflect the spirit and intent of treaties from an Indige‐ nous perspective.

Under treaties 4,5,6 and 10, the Crown promised agri‐ cultural benefits - livestock and farming equipment - to the First Nations that signed. That promise went unfulfilled and many First Nations are negotiating settlements for compensation.

Deanne Kasokeo from Poundmaker Cree Nation says Indigenous values and understanding of treaties need to be at the forefront of any negotiations with the Canadian government.

"It didn't just mean cows, plows, agriculture," said Ka‐ sokeo of the clause in ques‐ tion.

"It meant livelihood."

Little Red River Cree Na‐ tion in Alberta settled its agri‐ cultural benefits claim in 2019. Kasokeo found the agreement online and de‐ cided to take a look with her lawyer glasses on. She said what she found worried her.

"The release clause is the clause that you are releasing Canada now and forever from that date for future generations," said Kaseoko.

Kaseoko said First Nations people need to stand strong and assert their rights in these negotiations.

"That's how they beat us, is with that paper," said Kaseoko.

Talking about treaties

Manitoba's Treaty Commis‐ sioner Loretta Ross said First Nations are cautious when it comes to the Crown address‐ ing outstanding treaty obliga‐ tions,

"For so long we haven't talked about what does treaty mean … we've just kind of continued that the Crown has never lived up to treaty," said Ross.

WATCH | CBC Indigenous explains cows and plows:

Ross said she's happy people are talking about treaty and what that looks like today.

"It's hard sometimes to

Different world views

Hans McCarthy, a member of Frog Lake Cree Nation in Al‐ berta, said 'no' when his community discussed negoti‐ ating a claim.

"Indigenous people are al‐ ways one way or somehow, getting the wrong side of the bargain and we're always being taken advantage of," said McCarthy.

To learn more, he turned to TikTok.

He said the Cree world view needs to reflected in ne‐ gotiations because the treaty obligation was not meant to just be a one-time payment.

"We can't just forget about our perspective, be‐ cause that's who we are as our people," said McCarthy.

"We'll accept this because you owe us it, but that's not the end of it; you still owe us more of it because the treaty is supposed to be for as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow. We have to continue having these conversations."