Exam 24: Indigenous Community Economic Resilience

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Indigenous peoples supplied furs to trading companies in exchange for needed goods. Over time, relationships developed to include Indigenous employment in these companies and the opportunity for skilled Indigenous tradespeople to build new communities. This period marked a pinnacle of mutual economic activity that benefitted all nations before the decline. "The fur trade was dying, and with it the old economic partnership between traders and trappers.

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Historical treaties covered nine provinces and three territories and resulted in small scattered communities of Indigenous peoples living on very trivial, often barren portions of traditional lands. They had limited access to resources, if any resources existed, and faced an uncertain economic and social future. The newcomers had an inaccurate perception of Indigenous economy and completely missed the diversity that underlay Indigenous peoples' livelihoods. A sign of continuing cooperation can be found in the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The proclamation was issued in the name of the King and provided guidelines for dealings with Indigenous people. For example, the proclamation stated that land acquisitions had to be secured through purchase by the Crown through treaty and that all unceded lands would be reserved as Indian hunting grounds. This monopoly by the Crown has since been interpreted by modern courts to have created a fiduciary responsibility of the Crown (federal government) for Indigenous peoples. Indigenous nation autonomy was acknowledged, and the proclamation marked the first confederal bargain in Canada that allowed for sharing of power with Indigenous peoples. The Crown became a central party to all land transactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous entities in Canada. "Indigenous interests in land were recognized and there was an acceptance that Indigenous held rights of possession somewhat similar to European property rights (titled property). Recognition was also given to the claims of Indian bands and tribes to sovereignty. The existence of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which recognized Indigenous title to land, forced the Crown and later the Canadian government, to take a special approach to securing land entitled to Indigenous peoples" (Lendsay and Wuttunee 1997, n.p.). It also was meant to secure an economic future.