4 new sets of signs will mark treaty boundaries, raise awareness on Sask. highways

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner and the Government of Saskatchewan are aiming to spread awareness around treaty boundaries by putting up new signs along four busy highways in the province.

A pair of signs will be visible on highways in the Estevan, Moosomin, Lanigan and La Ronge areas welcoming drivers into a specific treaty territory.

Each one incorporates Indigenous languages specific to their location, treaty medals provided to First Nations following treaty negotiations and the phrase that represents the spirit and intent of the treaties: As long as the sun shines, grass grows, and rivers flow.

Mary Musqua-Culbertson, Saskatchewan’s Treaty Commissioner, says the signs are an important addition to the highways. 

“The treaties opened the way for people to come and live here and in Saskatchewan,” Musqua-Culbertson said following the unveiling Thursday outside the Wanuskewin Visitor Centre in Saskatoon.

“There’s never been demarcation or acknowledgement of those treaty boundaries in these jurisdictions or territories”

First province to have treaty boundary signs 

The new signs will join a pair of others installed last year marking the Treaty 4 to Treaty 6 Boundary along Highway 11 near Davidson, and Bladworth between Saskatoon and Regina. 

The province says Saskatchewan became the first province in Canada to mark treaty boundaries by putting up those signs.

Musqua-Culbertson, who is from Keeseekoose First Nation on Treaty 4, says the signs can help people learn that the land they are driving on is treaty land which existed long before the province of Saskatchewan.

“Seeing a sign that acknowledges the treaty territory that we’re in. It’s education. It’s a conversation starter,” Musqua-Culbertson said.

“I know for myself and many of my family and relatives and friends, when we drive by that highway sign that’s on Highway 11, you feel so much pride.”

Where exactly are the new signs? 

The signs on Highway 39 near Estevan and Trans-Canada Highway 1 near Moosomin will both mark the Treaty 2 and Treaty 4 boundary.

 Another pair of signs marking the Treaty 6 and Treaty 10 boundary will be put up on Highway 102 near La Ronge. 

The fourth pair of signs will be placed along Yellowhead Trans-Canada Highway 16 near Lanigan marking the Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 Boundary. 

Jim Lemaigre, Athabasca’s MLA, says each of those highways sees a range of more than 1,000 to around 5,000 motorists per day. 

“When we speak about reconciliation and acknowledging the truth and the history of what the First Nations people have gone through, this is one way that we can work together to accomplish that,” Lemaigre said following the unveiling ceremony.

“We’re very proud as a province that we’re a significant contributor to that.”

Musqua-Culbertson says the Office of the Treaty Commissioner will continue to work with the province to put up more treaty boundary signs on Saskatchewan highways in the future, but more needs to be done to recognize treaty territories. 

“We still have kids coming out of high school and university never having learned about what treaty territory they’re in, never heard about residential schools except from social media,” Musqua-Culbertson said.

 “We still have a long way to go, we really do. But this has been a start.”