Laurentian University hosts treaty recognition symposium

This week, Laurentian University hosted events and discussions as part of Treaty Week 2023.

The theme this year was ‘Renewing Our Treaty Relationships.’

On Friday, there was a Treaty Recognition Symposium with a number of guest speakers on topics such as treaty litigation and treaties past, present and future.

Some timely presentations with the Robinson Huron Treaty litigation before the Supreme Court earlier this week.

The case centres on a promise to the Indigenous community that the government would increase annuities according to the wealth produced by the land.

“The First Nations people have been the only ones that have been upholding the treaty to date,” said Duke Peltier, a Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund Trustee.

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“The actual court case itself is holding the governments to account to take the actual treaty and remember that it is a sacred responsibility that needs to be implemented and it needs to be implemented now.”

The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund expects a decision in the case by the Supreme Court of Canada within a year.