Petition of Rights, 1884
Canadian Northwest
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To His Excellency the Governor General of Canada, in Council.
We, the undersigned, your humble petitioners, would respectfully
submit to Your Excellency in Council, the following as our grievances:
1. that the Indians are so reduced that the settlers in
many localities are compelled to furnish them with
food, partly to prevent them from dying at their door,
partly to preserve the peace of the Territory;
2. that the Half-breeds of the Territory have not received
240 acres of land, each, as did the Manitoba Half-
breeds;
3. that the Half-breeds who are in possession of tracts of
land have not received patents therefor;
4. that the old settlers of the N.W.T. have not received
the same treatment as the old setters of Manitoba;
5. that the claims of settlers on odd numbers, prior to
survey, and on reserves, prior to the proclamation of
such reserves, are not recognized;
6. that settlers on cancelled claims are limited to eighty
acres Homestead and eight acres of pre-emption;
7. that settlers are charged more than one dollar per acre
for their pre-emptions;
8. that settlers are charged dues on timber, rails and
firewood required for home use;
9. that custom duties are levied on the necessaries of
life;
10. that settlers are not allowed to perform the required
amount of breaking and cropping on their pre-emption,
in lieu of their Homestead, when, as frequently happens
in the vicinity of wooded streams, it is convenient to
have farm buildings and grain fields on separate
quarter sections;
11. that purchasers of claims from bona fide settlers who
have not completed the required time of actual
residence, do not get credit for the term of actual
residence, by sellers;
12. that contracts for public works and supplier are not
let in such a manner as to confer upon North West
producers as large a benefit as they might derive
therefrom, consistent with efficiency;
13. that public buildings are often erected on sites little
conducive to the economical transaction of public
business;
14. that no effective measures have yet been taken to put
the people of the North West in direct communication
with the European Markets, via Hudson's Bay;
15. that settlers are exposed to coercion at elections,
owing to the fact that votes are not taken by ballot;
16. that while your petitioners wish to give the eastern
government every credit for the excellent liquor
regulations which obtain in the N.W.T. yet they must
express their anxiety, lest those beneficial
restrictions should be loosed, more especially as the
country is sparsely settled and the Indians numerous
and dissatisfied; . . .
17. ...................
(h) that the N.W.T. although having a population of 60,000,
are not yet granted responsible government, as was
Manitoba, when she had less than 12,000 of a
population;
(i) that the N.W.T. and its Premier Province are not yet
represented in the Cabinet, as are the Eastern
Provinces;
(j) that the North West is not allowed the administration
of its resources as are the eastern Provinces and
British Columbia.
In submitting this as a fundamental grievance, your petitioners would
disclaim any intention of defrauding the Federal Government of the Monies
which they may have contributed to the improvement of the N.W.
In Conclusion, your petitioners would respectfully state that they are
treated neither according to their privileges as British subjects nor
according to the rights of people and that consequently as long as they are
retained in those circumstances, they can be neither prosperous nor happy;
Your humble petitioners are of opinion that the shortest and most
effectual methods of remedying these grievances would be to grant the
N.W.T. responsible government with control of its own resources and just
representation in the Federal Parliament and Cabinet.
Wherefor your petitioners humbly pray that your excellency in Council
would be pleased to cause the introduction, at the coming session of
Parliament, for a measure providing for the complete organization of the
District of Saskatchewan as a province, and that they be allowed as in/70,
to send Delegates to Ottawa with their Bill of rights; whereby an
understanding may be arrived at as to their entry into confederation, with
the constitution of a free province, And your humble Petitioners will not
cease to pray.
Source: Canada, Department of Interior, Dominion Lands Branch,
File No. 83808.