Canada apologizes to nine First Nations after labelling Dakota and Lakota as refugees

WHITECAP DAKOTA FIRST NATION, SASKATCHEWAN — Canada’s Crown-Indigenous relations curate has apologized to 9 First Nations successful Manitoba and Saskatchewan pursuing decades of nan Dakota and Lakota being labelled arsenic refugees.

Gary Anandasangaree said Monday astatine a ceremonial astatine Whitecap Dakota First Nation southbound of Saskatoon that nan groups should person been formally recognized arsenic First Nations successful Canada.

“On behalf of nan Government of Canada and each Canadians, we activity to statesman to mend this injustice pinch 3 elemental words: we are sorry,” he said.

“We admit you person been treated arsenic second-class First Nations, arsenic strangers present connected your homeland successful Canada, a Canada you helped defend, build and develop.”

The apology was met pinch cheers from nan crowd of much than 650 people.

The Dakota and Lakota, who person held onshore successful Canada and nan United States, person agelong had a beardown beingness successful nan country.

However, nan Canadian authorities ne'er recognized them arsenic Aboriginal Peoples of Canada nether nan Constitution. Instead, they were viewed arsenic strangers from nan United States seeking refuge from nan American military.

The Dakota and Lakota were defeated successful conflict by nan Americans successful nan 1860s and 1870s, forcing galore to move north. Canada allowed them to enactment but ignored their title to land.

As a result, nan Dakota and Lakota were not invited to motion treaties and received nary pact rights. They received smaller reserves and less economical supports than different Indigenous groups.

Anandasangaree said Canada’s nonaccomplishment to connection nickname wounded generations of Dakota and Lakota. He noted they had pledged their allegiance to nan Crown during nan War of 1812, erstwhile nan United States declared warfare against Britain.

“You were allies, you were not refugees,” he said.

He added they were besides taxable to nan residential schoolhouse system, ’60s Scoop and different policies that person harmed Indigenous people.

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“There’s nary measurement to undo nan years of corporate trauma your group and nations strengthen to this day,” Anandasangaree said.

“Despite nan racism, discrimination, societal and economical removal and lingering harms of colonialism, your dignity arsenic Indigenous group remains unbroken.”

He said Canada will activity pinch nan First Nations to create treaties and agreements to affirm their authorities successful nan Constitution.

Whitecap Dakota First Nation signed a self-government statement pinch Canada successful 2023 that officially recognized its members arsenic Aboriginal Peoples nether nan Constitution.

It besides recognized nan Whitecap Dakota’s expertise to make laws on-reserve.

Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear said nan apology was a agelong clip coming.

“We had territories connected some sides of nan separator — and location was nary separator astatine nan clip — and we’ve been present since clip immemorial,” he said.

“(Reserves) constricted our opportunities but that’s each going to change, and that’s what we’re looking for, that acknowledgment.”