Description
Compact, Contract, Covenant: Aboriginal Treaty-Making in Canada by J. R. Miller, professor of history at the University of Saskatchewan, offers readers an overview of the history and nature of treaty making by First Nations with Great Britain and the Canadian government from the early period of trade and commerce to more recent twentieth century agreements such as James Bay and the Sahtu Dene and Metis Agreement. He describes the nature of early agreements that used wampum to conclude treaties of peace and friendship. Chapters describe the eras from the Royal Proclamation, Upper Canada treaties, the Western Treaties, the Numbered Treaties, to the period 1923 to 1975 that was marked by government efforts to eliminate the Indian problem. The author sets out a chronological approach to understanding the history of treaty-making in Canada. He uses selected treaty events as case studies and does not include all treaties. The book is highly readable and makes use of a variety of sources. The author takes the approach that treaties are important events in the past, present and future of all First Nations and all Canadians including the government. We are in fact all treaty people in Canada. The book contains an index, bibliography, maps and historical photographs.