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The Robinson Treaties are two
treaties A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pers ...
signed between the Ojibwa chiefs and
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in 1850 in the
Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on th ...
. The first treaty involved Ojibwa chiefs along the north shore of
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
, and is known as the Robinson Superior Treaty. The second treaty, signed two days later, included Ojibwa chiefs from along the eastern and northern shores of Lake Huron, and is known as the Robinson Huron Treaty. The
Wiikwemkoong First Nation The Wiikwemkoong First Nation is a First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Northern Ontario. The Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory (nicknamed Wiky, previously named Wikwemikong) is the First Nation reserve in the northeast of Manitoulin Island in Man ...
did not sign either treaty, and their land is considered "unceded". The Saugeen Surrenders of 1854 and the Pennefather Treaty of 1859 altered the original treaties.


Robinson Superior Treaty

The Robinson Treaty for the
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
region, commonly called Robinson Superior Treaty, was entered into agreement on September 7, 1850, at
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is at the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The Ojibwe, the indigenous Anishinaabe inhabitants ...
between Ojibwa Chiefs inhabiting the Northern Shore of
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
from Pigeon River to
Batchawana Bay Batchawana Bay is a small bay in Algoma District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Superior, approximately north of Sault Ste. Marie. The name "Batchawana" is derived from the Ojibwe word ''obatchiwanang'' (o ...
, and
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, represented by a delegation headed by William Benjamin Robinson. It is registered as the Crown Treaty Number 60.


Robinson Huron Treaty

The first Robinson Treaty for the Lake Huron region, commonly called Robinson Huron Treaty, was entered into agreement on September 9, 1850, at
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is at the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The Ojibwe, the indigenous Anishinaabe inhabitants ...
, between Ojibwa Chiefs inhabiting the Northern Shore of
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
from
Batchawana Bay Batchawana Bay is a small bay in Algoma District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Superior, approximately north of Sault Ste. Marie. The name "Batchawana" is derived from the Ojibwe word ''obatchiwanang'' (o ...
to Sault Ste. Marie and the Ojibwa Chiefs inhabiting the eastern and northern shores of Lake Huron from Sault Ste. Marie to
Penetanguishene Penetanguishene , sometimes shortened to Penetang, is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the southeasterly tip of Georgian Bay. Incorporated on February 22, 1882, this bilingual (French and English) community has a populati ...
, and
The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
, represented by a delegation headed by William Benjamin Robinson. It is registered as the Crown Treaty Number 61. These principal men on behalf of their respective Tribes or Bands, voluntarily surrendered, ceded, granted, and convey unto Her Majesty, her heirs and successors for ever, all their right, title, and interest to, and in the whole of, the territory above described, together with the Islands in the said Lakes, opposite to the Shores thereof, and inland to the Height of land which separates the Territory covered by the charter of the Honorable Hudson Bay Company from Canada; as well as all unconceded lands within the limits of Canada West to which they have any just claim, of the other part, save and except for the reservations set forth in the schedule. The bands were given a one-time payment of distributed amongst themselves, and an annual payment of £600 to each band. The Schedule of Reservations created as a result of the Robinson Huron Treaty and signed by the subscribing Chiefs and Principal Men are as follows:


Reserve size

The First Nations signatories of this treaty were unfamiliar with the unit of the mile, and assumed it was the size of a
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. The treaty gave each band a reserve of 16 square miles, which was much smaller than what the signatories expected. As soon as the error was noticed, the first nations notified the Crown of the issue, and surveyors corrected the problem except for a few reserves, such as the Gull Bay First Nation, considered too far and too remote. The Gull Bay First Nation filed a claim with the government of Canada on the issue of the size of their reserve in 2016.


Saugeen Surrenders

The second Robinson Treaty for the Lake Huron region, commonly called Surrender of the Saugeen Peninsula or Saugeen Surrenders, was entered into agreement on October 13, 1854, at Saugeen between Ojibwa Chiefs inhabiting the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, led by Chief ''Waabadik'', and
the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
, represented by a delegation headed by Laurence Oliphant. It is registered as the Crown Treaty Number 72. Though not negotiated by William Benjamin Robinson, thus not a "Robinson Treaty", it is commonly included with them. The
Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory The Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory ( oj, Saukiing Anishnaabekiing), also known as ''Saugeen Ojibway Nation'', ''SON'' and the ''Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory'', is the name applied to Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen ...
initially refused to relinquish entitlement of their Saugeen and Owen Sound Indian Reserve and negotiations for this land became increasingly difficult for the
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government. In the end the
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government threatened that if the Ojibway did not agree
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would be unable to guarantee protection from the European settlers moving into the area. After tense negotiations the Ojibway reluctantly agreed to surrender their reserve in exchange for "the interest on the principal sum arising out of the sale of the land". Five smaller reserves were to be set aside in perpetuity: # Saugeen Tract # Chief's Point # Owen Sound # Cape Croker # Colpoy's Bay A historical plaque, erected by the Province of Ontario, provides the following summary of developments during that era. (Location: Allenford, picnic area on the south side of Highway 21 just west of Allenford Road.) The plaque reads as follows: The lands have been distributed to the Chippewas' successor First Nations as follows:


Pennefather Treaty

The Pennefather Treaty was signed on 9 June 1859 at Gros Cap between the "Chiefs and Warriors of Batchewananny Bay and Goulais Bay Band of Indians", and the Crown. The chiefs and warriors agreed to relinquish to the Crown the reserved lands set aside in the Robinson Treaty (Reserve 15), save for
Whitefish Island Whitefish Island is an island in the St. Marys River, just south of Sault Ste. Marie, in Ontario, Canada. History It was an ancestral fishing station to the Anishenabek of the Great Lakes region for over 2,000 years. It was reserved for the u ...
. The Crown, in return, would sell the land, and all interest accrued from the sale of the land would be distributed to band members annually. Each family could receive 40 acres of land on the Garden River reserve, and may purchase 80 acres of the land being sold at the selling price (with government-established conditions). The bands were also given $1,200 divided amongst themselves, and all "improvements" to the lands being sold could be compensated after survey.


List of Robinson Treaty First Nations

*
Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek First Nation Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek First Nation is an Ojibwe First Nation in northwestern Ontario. It has a reserve on Partridge Lake called Lake Nipigon Indian Reserve within the town of Greenstone. It is a member of Waaskiinaysay Ziibi Inc. ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation Atikameksheng Anishnawbek (Anishinaabe language: ''Adikamegosheng Anishinaabeg'', syncoped as ''Dikmegsheng Nishnaabeg''), formerly known as the Whitefish Lake First Nation, is an Ojibway First Nation in northern Ontario, Canada. Its reserve i ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Batchewana First Nation of Ojibways The Batchewana First Nation of Ojibways ( oj, Obaajiwan Anishinaabek) is an Ojibway First Nation in northern Ontario. Their traditional lands run along the eastern shore of Lake Superior, from Batchawana Bay to Whitefish Island. They were reserve ...
(Robinson Huron, Pennefather) * Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek First Nation (Robinsion Superior) *
Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation The Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (formerly known as Sand Point First Nation, and occasionally known as Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabeg) is an Ojibwe First Nation Band government in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Their traditional territory is the Sa ...
(Robinson Superior) * Dokis First Nation (Robinson Huron) *
Fort William First Nation Fort William First Nation ( oj, Animkii Wajiw) is an Ojibwa First Nation reserve in Ontario, Canada. The administrative headquarters for this band government is south of Thunder Bay. , the First Nation had a registered population of 1,798 peopl ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Garden River First Nation Garden River First Nation, also known as Ketegaunseebee (''Gitigaan-ziibi Anishinaabe'' in the Ojibwe language), is an Ojibwa band located at Garden River 14 near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The Garden River reserve consists of two non-co ...
(Robinson Huron) * Gull Bay First Nation (Robinson Superior) * Henvey Inlet First Nation (Robinson Huron) *
Long Lake 58 First Nation Long Lake 58 First Nation ( oj, Ginoogamaa-zaaga’igan 58) is an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) First Nation band government located in Northern Ontario, located approximately 40 km east of Geraldton, Ontario, Canada, on the northern shore of Lon ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Magnetawan First Nation The Magnetawan First Nation ( oj, Magnetawan Atik Anishnaabe) is an Ojibwe First Nation community in Ontario, Canada. The community is situated on reserve lands in Britt, Ontario. Magnetawan Indian Reserve No. 1 Magnetawan No. 1 is a First Na ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Michipicoten First Nation The Michipicoten First Nation ( oj, Mishibikwadinaang, locally pronounced as ''Michipigodong'') is an Ojibway First Nation band government in Northern Ontario, located near Wawa. Members of the community have lived at the mouth of the Michipicote ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Mississauga First Nation Mississauga First Nation is one of the six First Nations that make up the Mississauga Nations. It is located directly west of Blind River, Ontario, Canada, on the Mississagi River 8 Reserve.
(Robinson Huron) *
Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation ( oj, Neyaashiinigmiing Anishinaabek) is an Anishinaabek First Nation from the Bruce Peninsula region in Ontario, Canada. Along with the Saugeen First Nation, they form the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The C ...
(Saugeen Surrenders) *
Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg (formerly Pic Mobert First Nation) is an Ojibwe First Nation band government in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The First Nation has two reserves: Pic Mobert North and Pic Mobert South, both located approximately east ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Nipissing First Nation Nipissing First Nation ( oj, Niipsing, meaning place of the elms) is a long-standing community of Nishnaabeg peoples located along the shorelines of Lake Nipissing in northern Ontario. They are referred to by many names in European historical re ...
(Robinson Huron) * Pays Plat First Nation (Robinson Superior) *
Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation Biigtigong Nishnaabeg is an Ojibway (Anishinaabe) First Nation on the northern shore of Lake Superior. It is sometimes referred to as Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation (or "Pic River" for short). Pic River is not a signatory to the Robinson ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Red Rock Indian Band The Red Rock Indian Band (also known as Lake Helen Reserve) is an Ojibwe First Nation band government in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Their territory is located on the Red Rock 53 (formerly Parmachene 53) and Lake Helen 53A Indian reserves in ...
(Robinson Superior) *
Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation The Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, also known as Many Rivers Joining-Human Beings, is a First Nations band government located in Ontario, Canada. Sagamok's culture and language is Anishinabek and is made up of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Pottawatomi ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Saugeen First Nation Saugeen First Nation ( oj, Saukiing) is an Ojibway First Nation band located along the Saugeen River and Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. The band states that their legal name is the "Chippewas of Saugeen". Organized in the mid-1970s, Sauge ...
(Saugeen Surrenders) *
Serpent River First Nation The Serpent River First Nation ( oj, Genabaajing Anishinaabek), a signatory to the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850, is an Anishinaabe First Nation in the Canadian province of Ontario, located midway between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury along the ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Shawanaga First Nation Shawanaga First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nations in Canada, First Nation band government in central Ontario near Nobel, Ontario, Nobel. Its reserves include: * Naiscoutaing 17A * Shawanaga 17 * Shawanaga 17B Shawanaga First Nation is locate ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Sheshegwaning First Nation Sheshegwaning First Nation is an Odawa First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. Its land base is located on the Sheshegwaning 20 reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Temagami First Nation The Temagami First Nation is located on Bear Island in the heart of Lake Temagami. The island is the second largest in Lake Temagami, after Temagami Island. Its community is known as Bear Island 1. Temagami First Nation (TFN) members are status ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Thessalon First Nation Thessalon First Nation is an Ojibwe First Nation in Algoma District, Ontario. Their reserve is located at Thessalon 12. They are a member of the Anishinabek Nation The Anishinabek Nation, also known as the Union of Ontario Indians, is a First ...
(Robinson Huron) * Wahnapitae First Nation (Robinson Huron) *
Wasauksing First Nation Wasauksing First Nation (formerly named as Parry Island First Nation, oj, Waaseyakosing, ''meaning: "Place that shines brightly in the reflection of the sacred light"'') is an Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi First Nation band government whose re ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Whitefish River First Nation Whitefish River First Nation ( oj, Adikamegoshii-ziibiing)Weshki-ayaad, Charlie Lippert & Guy T. Gambill. FREELANG Ojibwe-English-Ojibwe online dictionarLink/ref> is an Ojibwe First Nation in Manitoulin District, Ontario. It is a member of the Un ...
(Robinson Huron) *
Whitesand First Nation The Whitesand First Nation ( ojs, ᐗᐱᓀᑲ)Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation - Annual Report 2013-2014https://nanlegal.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/nalsc-annual-report-2013-14.pdf/ref> is an Ojibway First Nation reserve in Norther ...
(Robinson Superior)


Further reading

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Notes and references


Notes


References


External links

* *
Manitoba Chiefs: First Nations Treaties with the British Crown
{{Robinson Treaty First Nations history in Ontario 1850 treaties 1854 treaties Treaties of Indigenous peoples in Canada History of the Great Lakes History of Algoma District