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387 Pages·2001·19.77 MB·English

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"Trucking and Trading with Outsiders": Blood Indian Resewe
Integration into the Southern Alberta Economic Environment.
1884-1939, A Case of Shared Neighbourhoods
W. Keith Regular
A thesis submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies
in partial fulfilrnent of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Department of History
Mernorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's Newfoundland
ABSTRACT
This dissertation examines the economic association
that existed between the Blood Indian reserve and the
surrounding region of southern Alberta for the period of
the 1880s through the 1930s. This study fills the gap left
by Canadian historiography that has largely ignored the
economic associations between Natives and nonoNatives
living in a common and limited environment. Instead
historians have uncritically accepted the perception that
Native reserves have played only a minor role in regional
development. Consequently Natives and their reserve land
base are seen by Anglo-Canadians to have had little
influence on the economic circumstances in which Natives
and newcomers found themselves in the post treaty period on
the Canadian Plains.
The Blood tribe and their large reservation were a
significant factor in the southern Alberta region in which
they were located. Their land base was important to the
nascent and established ranching industry near the resesve
through the period of the Depression. The produce of the
Blood reserve, especially coal and hay, were commodities in
demand by settlers and the Bloods were encouraged to
provide them as needed. The Bloods became expert
freighters and the local commucity sought them out to
transport the much needed produce from the reserve and to
trans-ship goods for non-Native entrepreneurs. Blood field
labour in the Raymond area sugar beet fields was at times
critical to the functioning of that industry. Their
availability and willingness to work was a deciding factor
in the operations of the Knight Sugar Company especially
during the first decade of operations. Finally the Bloods'
ties to the merchant community, especially in Cardston and
Fort Macleod, resulted in a significant infusion of money
into the local economy. Importantly, much of this cash
resulted from the persona1 wealth of the Bloods and was not
a consequence of Department of Indian Affairs charity. The
Bloods were not a drain on the local resources but were
important contributors to the developing economy of the
region. The relationship that the Bloods had with local
merchants was very much like that of their White
neighbours.
Unfortunately the Department of Indian Affairs did not
recognize the potential of the reserve to serve the needs
of the Bloods, or at least did not let this recognition
mitigate their policies of restriction and paternalism.
Had they done so the fortunes of the Bloods, and many other
Native reserves, might be much different today. So too
might there be greater recognition of the part played by
Natives in regional economies.
Many individuals and organizations are owed a debt of
gratitude for their valuable assistance and contribution to
this project. 1 wish to acknowledge the advice and
assistance of Dr. AoA den Otter, Dr. Ralph Pastore, Dr.
Chris Youe and Dr. Lewis Fischer of Mernorial University.
The archivists and staff of the National Archives of
Canada, Provincial Archives of Alberta, and the Glenbow-
Alberta Institute were very helpful. Douglas Cass of the
Glenbow is deserving of special mention. My appreciation
also extends to Joanne Denton of the Roger's Sugar Company
for her kind assistance. 1 am also grateful to the Queen
Elizabeth II Library especially the staff of Libline. In
addition Donna Donald of Elkford Secondary School and
Melanie Paterson, Jolene James and Irene Naidu of the
Elkford Secondary Art Carees Preparation Program gave kind
assistance.
1 owe a special debt of gratitude to Dr. Herman
Ganzevoort of the University of Calgary and to Karen Fry.
Dr. Ganzevoort is thanked for assistance many and varied
and for his constant encouragement of my work.
Many thanks are also due to my supervisor Dr. Joseph
Cheminski. Without Dr. Cheminski's expert advice and
assistance this project would have been a longer and much
more tedious undertaking than it was. It was due to his
encouragement that I embarked on this project in the
beginning.
Thanks to mom and dad for the constant encouragement.
1 thank the Graduate Studies Department, Mernorial
University of Newfoundland and the Ewart Fund, University
of Manitoba for much needed financial assistance.
Last but not least 1 wish to thank my wife Anne for
her understanding, encouragement and patience without which
the long hours in the 'dungeon' would have been much less
tolerable. Thanks also to Ryburn and Nancy who will
hopefully now see much more of me.
TABLE OF COITEITS
Pase
Abstract i
Ac knowledgments iii
Table of Contents v
List of Figures vi
Appendix
-
Chapter 1 Introduction
-
Chapter 2 Background: Place and People
-
Chapter 3 'Free Range or Private Property':
Integrating Blood Reserve Land into the Community
-
Chapter 4 'Selling to Outsiders':
Marketing Coal, Hay and Freighting Services
-
Chapter 5 'Al1 the fndians have gone to the Beet':
Blood Labour in the Raymond Sugar Beet Fields
-
Chapter 6 'A Prospective Citizen of no Mean
Importance': The Bloods as Customers
-
Chapter 7 Conclusion: Change Over The
Bibliography and References
Appendix
LIST OF FIGURES
Fisure Paae
2.1 The Blood Reserve 36
2.2 The Blood Reserve and Southern Alberta 37
2.3 Alberta 37
2.4 The P r a i r i e Provinces 38
2.5 The Blood Reserve's Communication Links 41
2.6 Trade Circulation Patterns in Southern Alberta 66
4.1 The Blood Reserve, Trading Posts and Communities 178
vii
APPENDIX
Tables Paue
-
1 Population
-
2 Lease Monies Due Bloods
-
3 Income
-
4 Debt in 1934
-
5 Debt by Community
-
4 Summary of Debt
-
7 Debt 1934-1942