Indians give Sauve historic document

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OTTAWA - The United Indian Council of the Mississauga and Chippewa Nations met September 10 with governor-general Sauve to reaffirm the historic relationship between the Crown and Indian first nations that began 250 years ago.

The United Indian Councils were represented by Chiefs Aubrey Coppaway from Curve Lake; Ed William, Rama; Bernard McCue, Christian Island; Fred King, New Credit; Frank Cowie, Hiawatha; John Crowe, Alderville; Yvonne Edgar, Scugog; Angus Scelbe, Georgina Island, and Ian Johnson, chairman of the Indian Councils. The chiefs represents 5,000 status Indians in southern and general Ontario.

Mississauga Grand Chief Aubrey Coppaway presented the governor-general with a hand written reproduction of a letter written by Lord Egermont, secretary of state, to Lord Shelbourne, president of Lords of Trade, London, May 1763, which articulated the special relationship between his office and the Mississauga and Chippewa first nations. The document was mounted with an eagle feather and framed for hanging.

Chippewa Chief Ed Williams discussed the relationship between the Mississauga and Chippewa nations and the Crown based on some 230 treaties signed between the Indian first nations and the Crown covering all aspects of their political relationship to Canada as well as approximately 20,000 square miles of their Aboriginal territories in Ontario.

Ian Johnson, chairman of the United Indian Councils, suggested that the historic relationship between the Mississauga and Chippewa nations and the Crown has tremendous significance to the Indian first nations because it is the original relationship between Indians and Canada from which all other and subsequent relationships evolved. This is something that must be preserved and can be instructional during this time of changing and redefining the contemporary relationship of Indian first nations to the government of Canada under the Constitution.

Sauve, was interested to learn more about this historic relationship between her office and Indian first nations in Ontario. She was reminded by the chiefs of the antiquity and deep historical roots of the relationships between First Nations and the Crown. In modern times of rapid change, it is important to remember the basis of contemporary institutions and relationships and to heed the lessons they can teach us for the future, the chiefs stressed.

TEXT OF GIFT

PRESENTED TO HER EXCELLENCY

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA

SEPTEMBER 10, 1986

LORD SHELBOURNE, PRESIDENT OF THE LORDS OF TRADE,

LONDON, MAY, 1793

...HIS MAJESTY'S JUSTICE AND MODERATION INCLINES HIM TO ADOPT THE MORE ELIGIBLE METHOD OF CONCILIATING THE MINDS OF THE INDIANS BY THE MILDNESS OF HIS GOVERNMENT, BY PROTECTING THEIR PERSONS AND PROPERTY AND SECURING TO THEM ALL THE POSSESSIONS, RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES THEY HAVE HITHERTO ENJOYED, AND ARE ENTITLED TO, MOST CAUTIOUSLY GUARDING AGAINST ANY INVASION OR OCCUPATIONS OF THEIR HUNTING LANDS, THE POSSESSIONS OF WHICH IS TO BE ACQUIRED BY FAIR PURCHASE ONLY.

LORD EGERMONT, SECRETARY OF STATE

PRESENTED dON THIS DATE SEPTEMBER 10, 1986