Talk Treaty to Me: Understanding the Basics of Treaties and Land in Canada

Synopsis

Treaties cover much of Canada. Some were established thousands of years ago, with Land and animals, while others date to the arrival of Europeans in North America. These agreements have profoundly shaped the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and continue to affect how we live, work, play, and profit on these Lands.

In this accessible and concise guide, Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky explore the history of treaty-making, Indigenous sovereignty, unceded territory, Métis scrip, modern land claims and self-government agreements, settler colonialism, land acknowledgements, reconciliation, and Land Back movements. With a timeline, maps, and photographs throughout, Talk Treaty to Me concludes with specific, tangible steps readers can take to support truth and reconciliation.

About the Author

Crystal Gail Fraser is Gwichyà Gwich’in and a historian, author, and associate professor of history and Native studies at the University of Alberta. She is a community-engaged scholar whose work includes the history of Indian residential schooling in Inuvik, Northwest Territories.

Sara Komarnisky is a settler scholar, anthropologist, and researcher based in Yellowknife. She holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of British Columbia and is the author of Mexicans in Alaska: An Ethnography of Mobility, Place, and Transnational Life.

Publisher

HarperCollins Canada

Publication Date

February 24, 2026

Format

Paperback

Pages

320

Subjects

Art & Ideas · Canadian History · Indigenous Peoples · Treaties · Indigenous Sovereignty · Reconciliation

ISBN

9781443471169