WATCH — Canada’s treaties have shaped our country. Here’s what you need to know

Much more than just written documents

Every week, CBC Kids News takes a deep dive into a topic that everyone’s talking about. Click the video above or below for this week’s KN Explains.

Treaties between Indigenous peoples and the Crown are one of the foundational backbones of this country.

And the practice of making treaties between Indigenous peoples stretches back before Canada became a country, before European settlers even arrived in North America.

In the written treaties, recorded by the Canadian government, or the Crown (British Empire) before it, there is language that describes the handing over of land by Indigenous people.

But many Indigenous people across the country say that was not the deal, and their own records say they agreed that the land would be “shared,” not given away.

As important as these treaties are to Canada, there is nothing simple about them.

There’s a lot to unbox here. But don’t worry, we’ve got you. KN Explains:

Check out these stories next:

• WATCH — Indigenous land acknowledgements and their purpose, explained
• WATCH — June is National Indigenous History Month, so what’s it all about?
• WATCH — What does reconciliation mean?

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TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Archives of Ontario, National Museum of History with graphic design by Philip Street