WHITECAP DAKOTA FIRST NATION — Acknowledging that an apology and statement of recognition were long overdue, Canada’s Crown-Indigenous Relations minister said the federal government deeply regrets decades of labelling the Dakota and Lakota First Nations as refugees.
Federal Minister Gary Anandasangaree delivered the historic statement Monday morning at a ceremony at Whitecap Dakota First Nation south of Saskatoon in front of First Nations leaders, elders, youth and community members.
Anandasangaree said the nine First Nations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba should have been fully recognized as First Nations in Canada. By being referred to as refugees, the Dakota and Lakota were not included in treaty negotiations, and Canada viewed them as American despite their strong presence north of the border.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, we seek to begin to mend this injustice with three simple words: we are sorry,” Anandasangaree said.
“We acknowledge you have been treated as second-class First Nations, as strangers here on your homeland in Canada, a Canada you helped defend, build and develop.”
The apology was met with cheers from the crowd of more than 650 people.
The Dakota and Lakota, who have held land in Canada and the United States, have long had a strong presence in the country. However, the Canadian government never recognized them as Aboriginal Peoples of Canada under the Constitution. Instead, they were viewed as strangers from the United States seeking refuge from the American military.
The Dakota and Lakota were defeated in battle by the Americans in the 1860s and 1870s, forcing many to move north. Canada allowed them to stay but ignored their title to land. As a result, the Dakota and Lakota were not invited to sign treaties and received no treaty rights. They received smaller reserves and fewer economic supports than other Indigenous groups.
Anandasangaree said Canada’s failure to offer recognition hurt generations of Dakota and Lakota. He noted they had pledged their allegiance to the Crown during the War of 1812, when the United States declared war against Britain.
“You were allies, you were not refugees,” he said.
The government also noted the Dakota and Lakota “have endured the same legacies of colonialism as any other First Nation” in the country, including being subjected to the Indian Act, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop and more — yet they have not received constitutional recognition and protection that other Indigenous groups have.
“There’s no way to undo the years of collective trauma your people and nations endure to this day,” Anandasangaree said.
“Despite the racism, discrimination, social and economic exclusion and lingering harms of colonialism, your dignity as Indigenous people remains unbroken.”
He said Canada will work with the First Nations to develop treaties and agreements to affirm their rights in the Constitution.
There are three Dakota First Nations and one Lakota First Nation in Saskatchewan, along with five Dakota First Nations in Manitoba, who are not a party to any historic treaty entered into between Canada and other First Nations in those provinces.
Whitecap Dakota First Nation signed a self-government agreement with Canada in 2023, which officially recognized its members as Aboriginal Peoples under the Constitution.
“We had territories on both sides of the border — and there was no border at the time — and we’ve been here since time immemorial,” Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear said on Monday.
“(Reserves) limited our opportunities, but that’s all going to change, and that’s what we’re looking for, that acknowledgment.”
Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation Chief Rodger Redman said the apology and recognition from the federal government is an acknowledgement of “significant injustices and discrimination” his people have faced.
Wahpeton Dakota Nation Chief John Waditaka said the apology is a “significant step” but one that must lead to tangible actions.
He said he recognizes the “importance of this apology, but it must be accompanied by a clear and unwavering commitment from the federal government to fundamentally change the quality of life in our communities.”
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