Ronald E Gaffney

Treaty Ronald E Gaffney

''Treaty: A Historical Novel Concerning the Origins of the English-First Nations Covenant of 1725 and its Aftermath'' explores the historic roots of the Treaty of 1725 - the first Treaty inclusive of both the Mi'kmaq and the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and applicable to our Maritime Provinces. Utilizing a mixture of fictional and historical characters, the novel indicates how the English-First Nations conflict known as ''Father Rale's War'' resulted in the Treaty of 1725 among its weary combatants . The implications of the Treaty for the colonies of Nova Scotia and Massachusetts and the First Nations are examined, as well as the diplomacy that resulted in the Treaty, and the collapse- then restoration- of that Pact as a result of "King George's War", followed by the French and Indian War. With the British triumph over the French in the latter war, it was again to the Treaty of 1725 that the British returned in order to strike a meaningful accommodation with the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet of Nova Scotia. Although the Treaty nearly became undone during the American Revolution, its key elements survived - but these were soon submerged by the deluge of Loyalist refugees flooding into British Nova Scotia following the American victory in the Revolution. Today, the Treaty of 1725 has taken on a new significance, being cited in support of existing Mi'kmaq and Maliseet land claims, hunting rights, fishing disputes, and altercations over logging in the Maritime Provinces. Surprisingly, this ancient Pact is proving to be both resilient and timely as Maritime Societies wrestle with the impact of First Nations Rights and Claims.