Key points on the legacy of Treaty 6, first signed 150 years ago

In 1876, Treaty 6 was signed between the Crown and First Nations chiefs, primarily covering central Alberta and Saskatchewan. The treaty, one of 11 numbered treaties signed after Confederation in 1867, marked widespread settlement by non-Indigenous people while creating reserves for Indigenous peoples. The signing took place at Fort Carlton in August 1876, between Alexander Morris, the lieutenant-governor of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, and other Crown representatives.

First Nations chiefs, including Chief Mistawasis, Chief Ahtahkakoop, and Chief James Smith, signed the agreement. Treaty 6 includes commitments from the Crown absent in earlier treaties, such as the pestilence or famine clause, which provides support for First Nations struck by famine, and the medicine chest clause, which commits the Crown to maintain a medicine chest in each federal government agent's home near a reserve.

The treaty also promises annual payments, farming and carpentry equipment, clothing, and livestock to each band, with additional provisions for schools and other services. Today, around 50 First Nations are part of Treaty 6, covering nearly 315,000 square kilometers.