Canada to formally apologize to 9 Dakota, Lakota Nations for historic designation as refugees

The federal government is set to formally apologize to Dakota and Lakota Nations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan on Monday for historically recognizing them as refugees, a label that one chief says turned them into "second-class First Nation citizens."

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree will give a formal apology on behalf of the federal government to nine Dakota and Lakota Nations during a ceremony in Whitecap Dakota Nation, Sask., on Monday.

Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Chief Vince Tacan says it's a long overdue apology for designating the Dakota and Lakota as "refugees."

"There's several generations and grandparents and others that have endured a lifetime of living with this label.… It's unfortunate that they're not around to hear the apology," he said. "Having the label taken off us is going to be good news."

Tacan will be joined by representatives from Dakota Plains Wahpeton Nation, Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, Canupawakpa First Nation, Dakota Tipi, Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, Wahpeton Dakota Nation, Whitecap Dakota Nation and Wood Mountain Lakota.

The label of refugee has given licence to all levels of governments to prevent Dakota Nation members from accessing certain services and benefits other First Nations, Tacan said, including his community, which is 260 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

The apology marks a small step in rectifying the damage, Tacan said.

Canupawakpa Dakota Nation Chief Raymond Brown says Dakota chiefs have been negotiating for Canada to recognize the traditional territories of the Dakota Nations, including Canupawakpa, which is 300 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

He wants to see Dakota honoured for their role in Canadian history, after a long record of partnership with Britain.

Although many Dakota communities fought for the British against the United States during the War of 1812, they weren't recognized as Indigenous people in Canada.

There is historical evidence that, at various times, there were Dakota settlements in the 18th and early 19th centuries in southern Saskatchewan, as well as Manitoba and northwest Ontario.

But when the numbered treaties were signed in the 1870s, the Canadian government refused to sign a deal with the descendants of Chief Sitting Bull, because they were viewed as American refugees.

'A hindrance'

In 2007, Ottawa rejected the claim of the Dakota and Lakota Nations that they should be included in the treaties that most Prairie First Nations already belong to and their right to Indigenous rights to land.

The move meant the nations weren't included in the multimillion-dollar treaty land entitlement process in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

"Canada has to start recognizing the Dakotas," Brown said. "We do not have a treaty with Canada. We are a sovereign nation.... We want to stay a sovereign nation, and Canada needs to recognize that the Dakota they were here long before they were."

Dakota Plains Wahpeton Nation Chief Donny Smoke says for many years Dakota Nations haven't been able to negotiate different land settlements or treaties, turning the Dakota people into "second class First Nation citizens." 

"We've always been considered refugees in our own unceded territory of the Dakota Nation," Smoke said. "It's always been a hindrance to us when we try to negotiate as a nation."

One of his main goals coming out of Monday's apology is moving toward economic reconciliation, and they want to generate their own-source revenues to enhance the services that Dakota Nation members need in the community, located 120 kilometres west of Winnipeg, Smoke said.

Partnership for future generations

Each community is different and will be moving at its own pace in terms of the ramifications from the apology, Tacan said. He added the federal government needs to work with the different Dakota Nations based on their unique experiences and not as one group moving forward.

Smoke, Brown and Tacan all agreed while the apology is exciting, there's still a lot to do when it comes to the legality of different agreements and reconciliation.

"This is just to apologize and to acknowledge our rights in our own country and our own lands," Brown said. "The partnership will be good, after this there's not a lot of work to be done ... our claims and our recognition and our status are going to change."

Smoke has been meeting with elders, youth and other community members in preparation for Monday's apology. While they accept the government's apology, they recognize it's only the beginning, as more details are needed to establish a better nation-to-nation relationship.

"We're not trying to break the bank here," he said. "We're just looking for some recognition and some sort of … concessions to help us, you know, develop our communities [in] hopes of a better future for our children."