Treaty No.4 (1874)

The negotiation of Treaty No.4 at Fort Qu’Appelle in September 1874 brought together all the Plains people of what is now southern Saskatchewan. The terms of the treaty called for a cession of all Indigenous rights to the land in that area and a promise to obey Canadian laws. In return, the inhabitants were offered a gratuity of $7 and an annuity of $5 for each band member, $15 for each headman, and $25 for each chief. They were promised a reserve of one square mile for every five people, the maintenance of a school on each reserve, certain farm implements, livestock, and other benefits. Each chief and headman was to receive a treaty medal and a suit of clothing every three years. The groups that had settled on reserves shortly after Treaty No.4 suffered because they did not receive adequate provisions or assistance in farming. Some Indigenous leaders also alleged that the written text of the treaty did not contain all of the promises made during the negotiations.