LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson hands out annual $5 treaty payments. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Spirit and Intent

LLRIB celebrating Treaty Days this week

May 9, 2019 | 4:49 PM

It’s been a little more than 130 years since Chief James Roberts signed an adhesion to Treaty 6 on behalf of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) at the north end of Montreal Lake.

It was signed Feb. 11, 1889, by both Roberts and Montreal Lake Cree Nation Chief William Charles after days of negotiations. It was that pivotal moment in history between the Woodland Cree and Canadian government that LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said the band is celebrating through Treaty Days. They began Monday in Hall Lake with other festivities already taken place in Grandmother’s Bay, Sucker River and Stanley Mission. Treaty Days began Thursday in La Ronge and reach into Friday.

“We celebrate the Treaty because we still have Treaty rights to hunting, fishing, trapping and getting out on the land,” she said. “It’s our way of life and it’s something we’ve always practiced.”

Treaty Days also involves the symbolic gift of $5 each year for every band member. Back when the Treaty was signed, Cook-Searson noted $5 was a significant amount of money and was enough to purchase supplies to last families throughout the summer. While $5 does not go far nowadays, she said it’s the spirit and intent that matters.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

open house

Surplus forecasted for 2026 La Ronge operating budget

Nov 17, 2025

Band members have also been encouraged to vote on the band’s new Election Act during the festivities. Cook-Searson stated the act has been years in the making with more than 100 recommendations from community meetings taken into consideration. If the vote is successful, she said the act will be enforced at the next band election in March 2020.

“If not, we’ll go ahead with the current Election Act we have right now and just keep it as is,” Cook-Searson said. “We spent a lot of money, time and resources in trying to revise it, and if it’s the will of the people that they don’t want any changes, why try changing it.”

Fried fish was served outside the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Residents were encouraged to participate in community comprehensive planning. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

There will be more Treaty Days events in June with stops in Little Red River (June 7), Prince Albert (June 13), Regina (June 21) and Saskatoon (June 27).

“It’s nice to celebrate and get together,” Cook-Searson said. “A lot of times this is the only time you’ll see some band members.”

–

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno