Douglas Treaties

DOUGLAS TREATIES, or the Vancouver Island Treaties, were a series of 14 land purchases (1850–54) by the HBC, acting as agent for the British government, from several FIRST NATIONS on VANCOUVER ISLAND. The treaties were negotiated by James DOUGLAS, HBC chief factor and governor of the island. In 1849 Vancouver Island became a Crown colony, and before settlement could proceed the issue of land ownership had to be decided. The first treaties were made around FORT VICTORIA in 1850, followed by similar agreements at FORT RUPERT (1851), Saanich (1852) and NANAIMO (1854). A total of 927 sq km was purchased, about 3% of the area of the island. In return the people received a few blankets, small RESERVES surrounding their village sites, and hunting and FISHING rights on adjacent unoccupied land. Historians disagree about whether Douglas's commitment to the principle of aboriginal title later changed. Regardless, there were no more treaties, and subsequent governments explicitly denied aboriginal title. Until the NISGA'A TREATY in 1998, the only other treaty affecting First Nations in BC was TREATY NO 8 in the northeast corner of the province. The Douglas land purchases have been upheld as treaties by the courts. See also ABORIGINAL RIGHTS.