Trick or Treaty?

First, to be extremely clear, this is not a documentary as described. This is nothing but a piece of propaganda from director/producer Alanis Obomsawin.

In 1905 agreement was reached for certain Indian tribes to permanently cede lands to the Crown. Now, the Indians don't like the deal they made and want something different - so propaganda like this abounds.

They now want to rely on oral history. If you remember the campfire gossip game where something is whispered in one ear and 20 ears later the story is different, you are on the right track. Or, try the family fish story. 80 years ago great grandpa caught a 6 pound pike; but later when he told the story, it was 8 pounds, then 10. Then grandpa talks of his dad catching a 12 pounder, then it's 14 pounds. Then my dad talks of his grandpa's 16 pounder - or was it 18? And when I tell the story, I remember it being over 20 pounds. Well, that is what this propaganda piece does - the culmination of story telling where the Indians remember something very different than what was written - so the government should honour this fantasy agreement created in their minds.

Various Indians are trotted on to the screen to tell how their ancestors heard something different than what was written and a white professor opines how misunderstanding may have arisen.

Aboriginals (and latte sipping liberals who support them because it is fashionable and never taking time to learn the facts) will likely love the movie as it pushes their positions. For the rest, it is a waste of time as it does not explore the issues fully or have any intellectual discussion of the issues.