Royal Proclamation of 1763 defining the relationship between First Nations and British Crown on display
Key document between Crown and First Nations on display at Museum of Civilization
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued October 7, 1763 by King George IIIA+
BY PETER ROBB, OTTAWA CITIZEN SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
OTTAWA - The central document that defined the relationship between the British Crown, and what would become Canada, and aboriginal peoples will be on display at the Canadian Museum of Civilization until Oct. 27.
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III. It was the first act in which the British Crown recognized the rights of First Nations over a vast territory in Canada. The Proclamation was enshrined in the 1982 Constitution Act. It recognizes Aboriginal title to land and the Crown's legal duty to consult with Aboriginal Peoples on important matters involving their rights, the museum said in a news release.
Along with the Proclamation, the museum will display the Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed by Sir William Johnson and the Huron chiefs of Detroit, one of the first treaties negotiated with First Nations.
"The Royal Proclamation and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship have left their mark on the Canada we know today," says Mark O'Neill, the museum's president who is quoted in the release. "This presentation offers us a unique opportunity to highlight a pivotal period in Canadian history."
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the British Crown and the Hurons of Detroit was one of several negotiated in 1764, following the Seven Years' War. These treaties, the museum says, were the model for future negotiations with aboriginal peoples until the beginning of the 20th century.
The display also features a historical map from 1755, modified to illustrate the area of the Province of Quebec in 1763 and the "Indian Territories" established by the Royal Proclamation.