Treaty #3 marks its territory

Welcome to Anishinaabe Aki signs are being installed on all major routes leading into Treaty #3 territory across northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba.
“The leadership decided it was a good time to mark the territory so people knew when they were entering Treaty 3,” said Skip Gryschuk, Treaty #3‘s acting executive director. “People have been unaware of the location, just how large the area is first of all, and secondly, that they are entering a nation and they need to be made aware and respectful of that.”
Treaty #3 plans to install seven signs this year, including two west of Thunder Bay on Hwys. 11 and 17, one near the Goldcorp Inc. mine in Red Lake, two in Manitoba on Hwys. 1 and 12 and two along the United States border at Fort Frances and Rainy River.
“There are only a few up, but people who have seen them have been positive and appreciative that they’re being made aware of the treaty area,” Gryschuk said. “We did have a bit of a problem because we began putting the signs up in the winter time, and to avoid shifting we’ve had to put extra support in for now.”
Gryshuk said a company from Winnipeg helped with the design, fabrication and installation of the signs, which have a pink background with white letters and a Treaty #3 logo.
“First Nation communities mark their area and we thought people should be aware that these are all a consortium of one treaty area,” Gryschuk said. “Secondly, the nation has some laws and some rules about how people operate in this territory and in this nation. People need to be aware that there is a government here and they need to be made aware that that government does set some rules and policies and procedures about how to do business here. It’s both for the public and for business to become aware of the nation that they’re working in.”
Gryschuk said the idea was generated by former grand chief Diane Kelly, noting the process to design the signs and apply for permits to install them began about a year ago while she was still grand chief.
“It took us some time to get the signs designed and fabricated,” Gryschuk said. “And plus of course to get the permits to put them on the (highway) right-of-way.”