06/10/2026
JUNE 4 TREATY ANNIVERSARY AT FORT ANNE, ANNAPOLIS ROYAL DESIGNATED EVENT OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
It was designated as an event of national significance and it attracted more than 1,000 people to a town of 500. It was the 300th anniversary of the 1726 ratification in the Town of Annapolis Royal of the of the first Peace and Friendship Treaty signed in Boston the year before.
The Boston Treaty ended three years of conflict between the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqey, Abenaki, and the colonial governments of Nova Scotia and New England.
And the day, June 4, 2026, was warm and sunny as crowds packed Parks Canada’s Fort Anne National Historic Site. mapannapolis members were there to participate as volunteers, and to documents the event.
“What a special day,” said Grand Chief Norman Sylliboy. “Elders used to tell us when the sun is shining, it's our ancestors and the Creator joining us. And today is such a day. We thank the Creator and our ancestors for this day.”
He said treaties are sacred commitments between nations.
“They were promises, founded on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and shared responsibility,” he said. “Today we are honored for the vision and the wisdom of our ancestors. Three-hundred years ago today, they understood something that remains true today. That strong relationships are built on respect, honesty, and responsibility to one another. They entered these agreements, not only for themselves, but the future generations they would never meet. They were thinking about us today.”
“Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories said Peace and Friendship Treaties are unique.
“They did not involve the surrender of lands or resources, but instead affirmed a shared commitment to coexistence and to uphold rights, including hunting, fishing, and earning a livelihood,” she said. “We stand on land where history was not only witnessed, but shaped. Where Indigenous leaders and the Crown came together to affirm a relationship grounded in peace, friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect. From that choice, something remarkable emerged. Not a myth, not a miracle, but a growing commitment that coexistence could make us stronger and that we can build a better future in which our differences, whatever they may be, are not only respected, but celebrated.”
Alty emphasized the importance of the anniversary.
“On this historic day … we mark the 300th anniversary of the 1726 Peace and Friendship Treaty and formally recognize it as a national place, event, and relationship of historic significance.”
Grand Keptin Andrew Denny of the Mi’kmaq Grand Council challenged modern day governments to stop oppression of the Mi’kmaq.
“Instead of holding us down, you should be helping us to lift up,” he said. “And that's the important part of why we're speaking here today, very important for our relationship, for our future.”
Denny’s speech was interrupted by applause several times.
“It's very important that maybe in the future there would be a Mi'kmaq treaty commissioner to hold the Atlantic Provinces accountable,” Denny said.
“We want to give our future generations an opportunity because they are Mi'kmaq. We are not Nova Scotians, we are not New Brunswickers, we are not P.E. Islanders, Newfoundlanders, Quebecers. We are Mi'kmaq,” he said.
“You have to learn our ways of protecting the environment, of taking what's needed, of working together and helping each other,” he said. “We're human beings, and that's what I'm telling you, for us to look at the next 300 years and make sure that all leadership is here to help one another. Doesn't matter what the color of your skin is, but it's to help each other as we move forward.”
“As the King's representative, I'm pleased to play a role in recommitting to the ethos and the meaning of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship as we mark this the 300th anniversary of its signing in this very place,” said Nova Scotia’s Lieutenant Governor Michael Savage.
Savage said he spoke with King Charles III about the anniversary of the treaty and of its importance.
“In the modern sense, it is a living covenant that seeks to foster community between the Mi'kmaq and all Canadians,” Savage said. “It also remains a promise to engage in respectful dialogue.”
“Today we come together in a spirit of unity to honor the rich culture and the enduring legacy of Mi'kmaq people,” he said. “The presence of the King's representatives from New Brunswick and of Prince Edward Island serve as a reminder of the far-reaching significance of the Peace and Friendship Treaties. It also underscores the importance of gathering to reflect on the shared histories and the ongoing partnerships.”
Significant moments in the 300th anniversary celebrations, hosted by Senator Dan Christmas, were the exchange of treaty medallions, particularly between Savage and Sylliboy, and the unveiling of a Historic Sites and Monuments Board commemoration plaque . The medallions feature King Charles III on one side and Grand Chief Henri Membertou on the other.
The celebration was a collaboration between the Mi’kmaq Grand Council and First Nations of the Mi’kmaw Nation, Mi’kmaw Kina'matnewey, and the Government of Canada.
To visit Parks Canada, Annapolis Valley, go to: https://www.facebook.com/ParksCanadaAnnapolis
To visit Mapannapolis, go to:
https://www.mapannapolis.ca/
To visit our many storymaps, go to:
https://www.mapannapolis.ca/storymaps
To visit Fort Anne National Historic Site, go to:
https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/fortanne
