Edith Bélanger, special research advisor at the Ashukan Institute, a member of the Wolastoqiyik Nation, and professor of Indigenous studies at the University of Moncton, was a guest on the podcast *Voyages dans l’histoire canadienne* (Journeys Through Canadian History), produced by The Walrus. The episode focused on treaties of peace and friendship and Indigenous fishing rights.

Three centuries of treaties that remain in force

Three hundred years ago, the Wabanaki Confederacy—an alliance of Indigenous nations in Atlantic Canada—and the British Crown signed a series of agreements known as the Treaties of Peace and Friendship. These treaties affirmed the rights of the Wabanaki peoples to hunt, fish, and use their lands, while establishing a framework for peaceful relations between the signatories.

In this episode, Edith Bélanger travels back in time with host Ariane-Li Simard-Côté to explore Indigenous life, diplomacy, and relations with the Crown in the early18th century, followed by the events that led to the signing of the treaties. They also examine the Supreme Court of Canada’s Marshall decision (1999), which reignited interest in these treaties and helped trigger the Burnt Church crisis—issues that still resonate today in the Maritime fisheries.

The episode (38 min) is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and The Walrus website.

Listen to the podcast The “Journeys Through Canadian History” series