Treaties Recognition Week

It’s Treaties Recognition Week and with Georgian having seven campuses located across Central Ontario we want to focus on the treaties that govern the land in each of our catchment areas.

The information below is provided by the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, Government of Ontario. There is so much to learn about the history of each treaty, especially the negative impacts that some of these treaties continue to have on First Nations across Central Ontario. This information is considered introductory and we encourage everyone to do more research on each of these treaties.

Ajetance Purchase

Treaty 19, also known as the Ajetance Purchase, was signed on Oct. 28, 1818, by representatives of the Crown and Anishinaabe peoples. The territory described in the written Treaty covers approximately 6,500 km².

The Ajetance Purchase is named for the Chief of the Credit River Mississaugas. Some signatories of this Treaty also signed Treaty 18, such as James Givins, who worked with Reverend Peter Jones at the Credit Mission.

This is where Georgian’s Orangeville Campus resides. Other current communities include Brampton, Georgetown and the Caledon “Badlands “ that, before colonial intervention, was a fertile region stewarded by generations of the MIssissaugas of the Credit.

Ajetance Purchase

Lake Simcoe Purchase

Treaty 16, or the Lake Simcoe Purchase, was signed in 1815 at Kempenfelt Bay by representatives of the Crown and certain Anishinaabe peoples. The territory described in the written Treaty covers approximately 100,000 hectares.

The Penetanguishene Road, which extended from Lake Simcoe to Georgian Bay, is contained in this treaty.

This area includes Orillia, Midland and a portion of Barrie. Three of Georgian campuses are located in this area.

Lake Simcoe Purchase

Nottawasaga Purchase

Treaty 18, or the Nottawasaga Purchase, was signed on Oct. 17, 1818 by representatives of the Crown and certain Anishinaabe peoples. It’s also known as the Lake Simcoe-Nottawasaga Treaty and was the first of three treaties signed between October and November in 1818. A fourth, Treaty 27, was signed in the spring of 1819. The treaty details include a payment of goods at the “Montreal Price,” because Montreal was the economic hub of Upper and Lower Canada.

Current communities in the area include Wasaga, Bradford and Collingwood where our John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus is located.

The Nottawasaga Purchase

Robinson-Huron Treaty

Treaty 61 or, the Robinson-Huron Treaty, was signed on Sept. 9, 1850 in Sault Ste. Marie. Treaty Commissioner William Robinson signed on behalf of the Crown, and a number of chiefs signed on behalf of several First Nations. The territory described in the written treaty includes the land east of Georgian Bay and the northern shore of Lake Huron.

One of the signatories of the Robinson Huron Treaty was noted Anishnaabeg Chief Shinguakonse (Little Pine) (1773-1854), veteran of the War of 1812 who had helped establish Garden River First Nation.

This treaty includes Bracebridge where Georgian’s Muskoka Campus is located. Other current communities in the area include Sault Ste. Marie, Kirkland Lake and North Bay.

The Robinson-Huron Treaty

Saugeen Tract Purchase

Treaty 45 ½, or the Saugeen Tract Purchase, was signed on Aug. 9, 1836 by representatives of the Crown and certain Anishinaabe peoples. The territory described in the written treaty covers approximately 1.5 million acres of land, and was a part of the Bond Head Purchases, along with Treaty 45 for Manitoulin Island.

The treaty was signed in Manitowaning in 1836 when an annual distribution of gifts for Indigenous Peoples was taking place on Manitoulin Island.

Current communities in this area include Hanover and Owen Sound where Georgian has a campus.

The Saugeen Land Purchase

Williams Treaties

The Williams Treaties were signed on Oct. 31 and Nov. 15, 1923, by seven Anishinaabe First Nations and representatives of the Crown. A commission was established by Canada and led by Treaty Commissioner A.S. Williams to address lands that had not been surrendered via treaty. It should also be stated here that with this treaty the Anishinaabe First Nations unknowing surrendered fishing and hunting rights to off-reserve lands during 1923. It wasn’t until 2018 that reparations were made to compensate the multi-generational loss of harvesting rights that still impacts these communities today.

The territory covered by the Williams Treaties stretched from the northern shore of Lake Ontario to Lake Nipissing, and together cover approximately 52,000 km². The geography of the treaties overlaps with several previous treaties.

Current communities in the area include Huntsville and Bracebridge where Georgian’s Muskoka Campus is located.

Williams Treaties