Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and Laurentian University have inked a memorandum of understanding to partner on preserving documents related to a landmark court case.
Leaders from the post-secondary schools were in Sault Ste. Marie today to sign the agreement, which symbolizes a partnership that will see both schools collaborating on the preservation of historical documents related to the Robinson Huron Treaty annuities claim.
“We have been entrusted, our two institutions, with these documents for perpetuity,” said Laurentian University president Lynn Wells.
“It’s an enormous responsibility, and it’s one we take very seriously — and we’re very glad to be walking that journey with all of you.”
SKG president and CAO Mary Wabano-McKay credited the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund and all others who had a hand in the treaty annuities claim, which resulted in a historic $10-billion settlement with Canada and Ontario for past compensation.
“These sacred documents, although they are legal documents and court proceeding documents, really contain a lot of Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous science, ways of knowing, that we have been entrusted to ensure that they remain available and accessible for all peoples for as long as the sun shines,” she said.
“That's such a sacred trust for us.”
Wabano-McKay called the MOU with Laurentian a “very important milestone” in the overall development of the Indigenous-led post-secondary institution in the Sault.
“Public policy was really designed to have us removed so that we would no longer be here. But here we are in 2025, signing an agreement with our own university to celebrate and acknowledge how far we have come as nations,” she said.
In 2021 the Ontario Superior Court designated both SKG and Laurentian University as repository partners for the treaty annuities claim documents.