By Bryan Eneas

PAGC Conference: The medicine chest clause

Jan 18, 2017 | 4:14 PM

Treaty 6 includes a unique clause; a section of the document addresses the inherent right to health. 

“That a medicine chest shall be kept at the house of each Indian Agent for the use and benefit of the Indians at the direction of such agent,” the document reads. 

Treaty 6 was the first numbered treaty document to include such a clause, according to Allen J. “AJ” Felix. He is a fire keeper of the numbered treaties, and he hails from Treaty 6 territory – specifically Sturgeon Lake. This week, Felix spoke twice on treaty rights at the Nation to Nation, Government to Government, Sovereignty and Treaty Relations Forum organized by the Prince Albert Grand Council.

“The medicine chest clause was born here in Treaty 6,” Felix said. “It was born here because we already had the experience of [having] our buffalo depleted. We were searching for food. Of course, sickness arrived.”

The sickness Felix referred to is smallpox, which decimated the Indigenous population in Canada. Later, tuberculosis and the Spanish flu would bring a great loss of life to the same populations.

SIGA

SIGA and Northern Lights Casino main sponsors of the 31st PAGC Fine Arts Festival

12h ago

Workplace incident

City of Prince Albert pleads guilty to workplace safety violation, handed fines

14h ago

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2024

Felix said word of disease reached the people of modern day Treaty 6 territory. Prior to negotiations with the Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris, who was negotiating treaty with the Indigenous people of what is now Saskatchewan, the Cree peoples participated in a ceremony.

“We purposely went into shaky tents to ask our spiritual advice on what we should talk about; one of them [we were told] was medicine,” Felix said.

He said the Cree were told by the Creator of the modern medicines carried by Morris’ physician. During treaty adhesion talks at Fort Pitt, the medicine chest clause was born.

“[Morris] dealt thoroughly with that medicine chest – they even took it into a night ceremony with the Lieutenant Governor Morris and also his physician,” Felix said. “He promised them the very best, the most modern medicines.”

According to Felix, Chief Big Bear (Mistahimaskwa), who was involved with the treaty adhesion talks, was a medicine man himself. He brought with him a bag of the very best traditional medicines. Big Bear asked Morris if his people would still be able to use their traditional healing remedies as well, to which he was told yes.

Felix said at this point in negotiations, the medicine chest clause was promised to be included in the Treaty 6 texts. He said Morris promised to provide the Indigenous people with “the very best he had, for as long as the sun shines, the rivers flow, and the grass grows.”

Felix said the medicine chest clause has become universally accepted “by all the tribes from coast to coast” locking the government into a commitment to the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people.

“Even after over 140 years of treaty-making here, we still have the government to convince that health is a treaty right,” Felix said.

Under the medicine chest clause, Felix said Indigenous people are seeking to build their own hospitals, health database and even Indigenous-owned pharmaceutical companies.

“We’re planning on actually taking over our own health program,” Felix said.

Bryan Eneas is paNow’s Indigenous and northern correspondent. He can be reached by email at Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca or on Twitter @BryanEneas