Following Confederation in 1867, the Canadian government began planning for a road and waterway system from Lower Fort Garry in Manitoba east to Lake of the Woods, Ontario, to facilitate access to the interior of Canada. The Anishinaabe nations made it clear that they would permit government projects to go forward on their land with compensation, but that they would not cede it. On October 3, 1873, following four years of negotiations, Treaty #3 was signed between the Anishinaabe and the governm

In 1867, the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada (Quebec & Ontario) joined to form the Dominion of Canada. Colonial leaders met at a series of conferences to discuss the future of the nation but left their Indigenous counterparts out of the negotiations. Over the years, six more provinces and three territories joined Confederation, creating the country of Canada as we know it. This process had profound impacts, including damaging policies which attempted to