FSIN CALLS FOR ACTION ON JAY TREATY IMPLEMENTATION AND TARIFF IMPACTS ON FIRST NATIONS' TREATY AND INHERENT RIGHTS
- Jan 28, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 30, 2025
(Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatoon, SK) – The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Executive is raising serious concerns about the implementation of the Jay Treaty in the United States (US) and the broader impacts of proposed tariffs on First Nations’ rights.
FSIN is informed of recent accounts where border agents denied the rights of First Nations peoples under the Jay Treaty, officially known as the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, and was fully ratified between the representatives of Great Britain and the United States in 1795. The Jay Treaty recognizes the rights of First Nations from Canada to freely enter the United States for study, employment, retirement, semi-permanent residency, family and cultural connection, or trade. This is an inherent right to travel freely across borders and maintain important connections with other Indigenous groups.
FSIN will ensure that the governments of Canada and the United States be held accountable for ensuring the rights of First Nations peoples are upheld at border crossings. First Nations have always maintained peaceful crossings of the Medicine Line, and this historical agreement must continue and be respected.
“The Jay Treaty didn’t give us rights – it acknowledged the rights we’ve always had,” said Chief Cameron. “Yet, First Nations continue to face barriers at the border, and now, with President Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian imports, our voices are being excluded from critical discussions. These energy projects and critical minerals that Canada relies on come from our traditional and Treaty territories. The Treaties never surrendered our rights but established agreements to share. It’s unacceptable and insulting that First Nations’ jurisdiction is ignored while provincial and federal governments decide our futures without us. This colonial mentality must end if equality is ever to be achieved.”
The FSIN has always taken a non-partisan approach when dealing with other political parties outside our own level of government and has ensured that there was a fostering of good relations and has worked on building new allies along the way. The FSIN is committed to ensure that our people can cross, and continue to have the ability to visit, work, and trade across the line without any restrictions from US Border agents, and offices.
“We have always maintained peaceful border and territorial crossings long before any government or settler arrived on our lands and waters,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. “This was, and still is, our way. We have families in the United States. Our ceremonies and our traditional medicines are gathered from south of the border and our traditional territories have spanned both sides of this colonial line for millennia.”
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. FSIN is committed to honouring and upholding the spirit and intent of the Treaties and advocating for the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises made more than a century ago.
For more information/contact:
FSIN Communications
