Numbered Treaty Two, 1871

Document Summary:
Chippewa Aboriginals give up their land rights to the government of Canada for European settlement in current-day lower Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan forever. In return for giving up these rights, they received:

  • Six hundred square meters of reserve land for each family of five.

  • $5 per person, which could be payable in clothing or equipment; $20 per chief plus a buggy and a suit of clothes every three years. Four headmen per band got a suit of clothes every three years.

  • Farming tools.

  • Schools on reserve land, whenever desired.

  • A census to keep track of how many Aboriginals there were in each band, mainly for financial compensation purposes.

In return for the aforementioned items, the Aboriginals had to:

  • Promise they would keep the peace and maintain law and order.

  • Never possess any liquor on their reserves. (The introduction of alcohol in Aboriginal society had led to disorder in the past.)