Gordon First Nation

The George Gordon First Nation is located near the village of Punnichy, Saskatchewan, in Canada. The First Nation has a population of 2,774 people, 1,060 of whom live on-reserve and 1,714 who live off-reserve. Elected Chief Glen Pratt leads the First Nation. Their territory is located on the Gordon 86 reserve, as arranged by Treaty 4.

In 1874, Treaty 4 was established between Queen Victoria and the Cree and Saulteaux First Nations. On September 15 of the same year, Kaneonuskatew (or, in his English name of George Gordon) was among the first of the Indigenous leaders to make the agreement, signing as Chief of the George Gordon First Nation. By 1884, half of the families belonging to the nation were farming, a development which had commenced in 1876, and would continue for many years. Although both George Gordon and his son, Moses Gordon, were originally hereditary chiefs, the people have since adopted the practice of democratically voting their chiefs and councillors into office.

The George Gordon First Nation was the location of Gordon Indian Residential School, the longest-running residential school in Canada. The Anglican Church of Canada established a day school on Gordon’s Reserve in 1876. It was expanded in 1888 to provide housing to students attending the school. In 1929 the school was destroyed by fire and eventually rebuilt. Problems with water supply and maintenance led to its being closed for much of the time between 1947 and 1953. The school was closed in 1996. Attendance there devastated many members of the nation-state as children because of various forms of abuse. The schools have been proven to have allowed abuse of the children. The federal government has paid compensation and made apologies, but much damage was done. The residential schools created a dark chapter in Canadian history. On the First Nation, the Gordon Recovery and Wellness Centre provides services and support to the victims of the abuse that occurred at too many schools.

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