James McKay (1828 – December 2, 1879) was a

fur trader The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

, pioneer, and pre-

Canadian confederation Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Canada, Dom ...

politician and interpreter.

Early life

James McKay was born in 1828 at the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...

Edmonton House Fort Edmonton (also named Edmonton House) was the name of a series of trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) from 1795 to 1914, all of which were located on the north banks of the North Saskatchewan River in what is now central Alberta, ...

, the son of James Charles (b. 1797, Scotland) and Marguerite Gladu (b. 1809, Métis, Cumberland House). He was a brother to Angus McKay. McKay was educated at the

Red River Colony The Red River Colony (or Selkirk Settlement), also known as Assiniboia, Assinboia, was a colonization project set up in 1811 by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, on of land in British North America. This land was granted to Douglas by the Hud ...

and began work with the HBC in 1853 as a fur-trader and guide/interpreter. Many distinguished visitors sought him out as a guide; he often met the HBC governor, George Simpson in Crow Wing, Minnesota, and escorted him to

Upper Fort Garry Fort Garry, also known as Upper Fort Garry, was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1822 on or near the site of the North West Company' ...

. In 1857, while at

Fort Ellice Fort Ellice was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post operated from 1794 to 1892. First established on the Qu'Appelle River, the post was rebuilt in 1817 on the south bank of the Assiniboine. Another iteration of the post was built near the first i ...

, he was engaged to guide the

John Palliser John Palliser (29 January 1817 – 18 August 1887) was an Irish-born geographer and explorer. Following his service in the Waterford Militia and hunting excursions to the North American prairies, he led the British North American Explorin ...

party from Fort Ellice ( St Lazare, MB) through the Saskatchewan plains to its winter quarters at Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan. McKay married in 1859 and left the HBC in 1860, going into business for himself. He established his home west of the Forks in present-day Manitoba and quickly became involved in this community. He was made a member of the

Council of Assiniboia The Council of Assiniboia (french: Conseil d'Assiniboine) was the first appointed administrative body of the District of Assiniboia, operating from 1821 until 1870. It was this council who is credited for the arrival of a functioning legal system, ...

in 1868, and caught up in the hostilities in the Red River Colony between 1869 and 1870. Because of his Métis heritage, he chose to leave the community for a short time. On his return, he was made a member of the provisional government. James' brother, Angus McKay, was active in the political unrest of the time.

Political career

Indian Treaty negotiations

McKay made important contributions in the settlement of Indian

land claim A land claim is defined as "the pursuit of recognized territorial ownership by a group or individual". The phrase is usually only used with respect to disputed or unresolved land claims. Some types of land claims include aboriginal land claims, A ...

s. In 1871, he was part of the negotiation of

Treaty 1 ''Treaty 1'' (also known as the "Stone Fort Treaty") is an agreement established on August 3, 1871, between the Imperial Crown of Great Britain and Ireland and the Anishinabe and Swampy Cree nations. The first of a series of treaties called the ...

(

Lower Fort Garry Lower Fort Garry was built in 1830 by the Hudson's Bay Company on the western bank of the Red River, north of the original Fort Garry (now in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Treaty 1 was signed there. A devastating flood destroyed Fort Garry in ...

) and

Treaty 2 ''Treaty 2'' was entered in to on 21 August 1871 at Manitoba House, Rupertsland, with representatives of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. The original Anishinaabe (Chippewa and Cree), who were present, constitute ''Treaty 2'' today. It ...

( Manitoba Post on

Lake Manitoba Lake Manitoba (french: Lac Manitoba) is the List of lakes of Canada, 14th largest lake in Canada and the List of lakes by area, 33rd largest lake in the world with a total area of . It is located within the Provinces and territories of Canada, Cana ...

). He continued with

Treaty 3 ''Treaty 3'' was an agreement entered into on October 3, 1873, by Chief Mikiseesis (Little Eagle) on behalf of the Ojibwe First Nations and Queen Victoria. The treaty involved a vast tract of Ojibwe territory, including large parts of what is ...

(North West Angle of

Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods (french: Lac des Bois, oj, Pikwedina Sagainan) is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. Lake of the Woods is over long and wide, containing more than 14,55 ...

) in 1873. In 1875, he was a commissioner for

Treaty 5 ''Treaty Five'' is a treaty that was first established in September, 1875, between Queen Victoria and Saulteaux and Swampy Cree non-treaty band governments and peoples around Lake Winnipeg in the District of Keewatin. A written text is include ...

, which was negotiated at

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

. He was also the Indian commissioner for

Treaty 6 Treaty 6 is the sixth of the numbered treaties that were signed by the Canadian Crown and various First Nations between 1871 and 1877. It is one of a total of 11 numbered treaties signed between the Canadian Crown and First Nations. Specifica ...

, which was signed at

Fort Carlton Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post from 1795 until 1885. It was located along the North Saskatchewan River not far from Duck Lake. It is in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and was rebuilt by the government of Saska ...

and Fort Pitt in 1876.

Northwest Territories Council

James McKay was appointed as a member of the

Temporary North-West Council The Temporary North-West Council, more formally known as the Council of the Northwest Territories and by its short name as the North-West Council, lasted from the creation of Northwest Territories, Canada, in 1870 until it was dissolved in 1876. Th ...

along with

Pierre Delorme Pierre Delorme (de L'Orme) (ca October 1, 1832 – November 10, 1912) was a Métis fur trader, businessman, farmer and political figure. He represented Provencher in the House of Commons of Canada during the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Con ...

and

Joseph Royal Joseph Royal (7 May 1837 – 23 August 1902) was a Canadians, Canadian journalist, lawyer, politician, businessman, and Lieutenant-Governors of Northwest Territories, Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories. Early life and career ...

in 1873. These appointments were made in response to demand by the

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

, who wanted representation in the government. While he was on the council, he worked on dealing with problems affecting the native population. His skills, both as a negotiator and interpreter, made his input instrumental in a number of Treaty negotiations.

Province of Manitoba

After

the establishment ''The Establishment'' is a term used to describe a dominant social group , group or elite that controls a polity or an organization. It may comprise a closed social group that selects its own members, or entrenched elite structures in specific ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

as a province, McKay was appointed to the

Legislative Council of Manitoba The Legislative Council of Manitoba (french: links=no, Conseil législatif du Manitoba) was the upper house of the Legislature of Manitoba. Created in 1870 and abolished in 1876, the council was the only provincial upper house in Canada that was n ...

, serving as its speaker until 1874. After the Council was abolished in 1876, he was elected by acclamation to the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (french: Assemblée législative du Manitoba) is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at provincial gener ...

for the district of

. McKay served as

Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

from 1875 to 1878, when he resigned due to poor health. He was considered to have excellent judgment; but influenced strongly by the views of the Archbishop

Alexandre-Antonin Taché Alexandre-Antonin Taché, O.M.I., (23 July 1823 – 22 June 1894) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author, and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in Manitoba, Canada. Early life Alexandre-Antonin ...

References

External links

Biography at ''the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''

''Manitoba Historical Society - James McKay''

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, James 1828 births 1879 deaths Canadian people of Scottish descent Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Métis politicians People of pre-Confederation Canada Métis fur traders Canadian fur traders Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Members of the Legislative Council of Manitoba Members of the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia Numbered Treaties Date of birth missing Canadian Métis people