"When our cousins (kiciwaminawak) the White man, first came to peacefully live on these lands (witaskemacik) with the Indigenous people, the (Elders) used the pipe, sweetgrass and the pipe stem...And when they took the tradional adoption with the White man, they used the pipe and they shared the pipe with them from where they adopted a peaceful existence (witaskewin)."

Elder Simon Kytwayhat
Cardinal, H and Hildebrandt, W. Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan, University of Calgary Press, 2002, p.32

We should be teaching about treaties in school, they should be part of the curriculum.  We should be teaching about our history and how things came to be from our own perspective."

Elder Emma Sand
Lobe, Gordon.  The Foundations of Cree Education. Thesis. University of Saskatchewan. 1995

"It's a good thing to learn about the Treaties and what went on after the Treaties, after the reserves were created.  That's real to me.  It's real history."

Elder Rose Atimoyoo
Lobe, Gordon. The Foundations of Cree Education, Thesis. University of Saskatchewan. 1995

Saskatchewan is committed to strengthening partnerships between First Nations and non-First Nations people in Saskatchewan in the spirit of the Treaties.  As such, we are committed to ensuring that instruction in the history and content of the Treaties is mandatory in the provincial K–12 system.

Treaty Education Video Project

Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Ken Krawetz recognized Horizon School Division staff, students and parents in the legislative assembly on May 19 for the division's production of a treaty education video.

"This video reflects the Saskatchewan Government's mandate to incorporate treaty education in all kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms," Krawetz said.  "This video demonstrates how treaty knowledge is important for students to better appreciate our province's past and present.  Learning about treaties also promotes cultural appreciation and understanding through teachings that respect and honour First Nations."

The video's script was written by high school students from Wadena, Wynyard, Raymore, Punnichy, and Humboldt who were brought together by Horizon School Division to produce the two-minute video.  The video focuses on the importance of learning about treaties through Treaty Essential Learnings, a learning resource that can be found in schools across the province, as well as the perspectives of elders and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner.