Issued By:
Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin and The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund
Date Issued:
December 15, 2023
Deadline for Questions
January 24, 2024
Closing Date:
January 31, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
| 2023 | Ketegaunseebee Anishinabek |
| 2022 | Nipissing First Nation (Co-hosted by Nipissing First Nation and Dokis First Nation) |
| 2021 | Baawaating (Hosted by Batchewana First Nation) |
| 2019 | Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory |
| 2018 | Shawanaga First Nation (Co-hosted by Wasauksing First Nation and Shawanaga First Nation) |
| 2017 | Atikameksheng Anishinawbek |
| 2016 | Baawaating (Hosted by Batchewana First Nation) |
The Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering is held each year for the Anishinaabe communities of the Robinson HuronTreaty of 1850 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of 1850. It is also an opportunity to exert sovereigntyover our traditional territory, gather strength and guidance from our Ancestors, and improve education and awareness of theTreaty in First Nation and settler communities. Treaty Gatherings provide a means for Elders’ knowledge and the practice ofceremony to be passed on to youth. They are regarded as an important means of bringing people together. This is a greatcommunication method to share and gather information.
Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin (RHW) and the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF), with support fromthe Treaty Gathering Planning Committee (The Planning Committee), are responsible for the planning and execution of theGathering each year to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850.
2024 marks the 174th anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850. The location and venue for theGathering this year have yet to be determined, and the Gathering will host approximately 500 participants, plus politicalleadership, Treaty experts and workshop presenters
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to seek proposals from RHW/RHTLF communities to host the 2024Treaty Gathering. This RFP will outline the host community’s expectations and contributions to the Treaty Gathering as wellas the process for selecting the 2024 host community. It also provides the background, intent, and expectations for the Gathering to allow prospective communities an opportunity to submit a proposal to host the 2024 Robinson Huron Treaty of1850 Gathering.
Following the notice and submission period, the Planning Committee, comprised of members from RHW and RHTLF, willselect a host community proposal for formal acceptance by the RHW Political Working Group Committee and RHTLF LitigationManagement Committee. If you have any questions related to this document or the RFP selection process, please contactJolene Recollet, Policy and Administrative Coordinator, RHW (jolene@waawiindamaagewin.com).
The Robinson Huron Treaty was signed on September 9, 1850. This sacred treaty was signed between 17 Ogimaakrepresenting Anishinabek along the northern shore of Lake Huron and eastern Lake Superior and the British Crown. This treatyoutlines critical roles and responsibilities for both treaty partners.
The treaty guarantees that each Anishinabek community would continue to occupy the land in their territory and thatit would be available for their exclusive use while sharing the land and allowing British settlement and some resource development.
The treaty guarantees traditional harvesting (hunting and fishing) rights and unrestricted access as well as acknowledgingthe full extent of the RHW reserved jurisdictions, title, and inherent rights, including but not limited to lands, water, air,education, language and culture, jurisdiction, health, citizenship, and justice.
Finally, to partially compensate for the sharing of land and resources with the British, the treaty promises an annualannuity (initially set at $2 per person, then raised to $4 per person) as an ongoing payment to treaty annuitants. Theamount of those annuities was tied to the productivity of the land that was the subject of the treaty. These annuities havenever been increased.
Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin (RHW) is an initiative undertaken by the 21 First Nations of the Robinson Huron Treaty to create a Treaty level body capable of addressing many issues that have, until this time, been addressed within the Canadian government-created agencies and systems of governance. We recognize that Treaty helps protects our inherent rights and can build on the strength of this collective to enhance and foster health and wellness for our people.
RHW was created to exercise the assertion of inherent rights and reclamation of governance to address, at minimum, but notlimited to, collective relevant jurisdictional issues and concerns, including overlapping territorial claims, protection of land and water in the treaty territory, and annuities. RHW also conducts treaty-based research, facilitates community engagement inRobinson Huron Treaty communities on treaty-related matters, and develops treaty education tools, including detailed use and occupancy research of the treaty area.
For more information on RHW, please visit waawwindamaagewin.com
21 Lake Huron First Nations formed the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF) in 2010 to assist the First Nations inpursuing litigation and/or negotiations against Canada and Ontario for failing to increase annuity payments since 1874.
The RHTLF was created to undertake and pursue litigation and/or negotiations related to the Robinson Huron Treaty AnnuitiesClaim on behalf of the Settlors of the RHTLF and/or their members who receive or are entitled to receive annuities under theRobinson Huron Treaty of 1850, as well as others who receive or are entitled to receive annuities under the said Treaty.
For more information on RHTLF, please visit robinsonhurontreaty1850.com
The anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 is September 9th. The Gathering is typically held overthree days leading up to the anniversary, tentatively scheduled from Friday, September 7th to Sunday, September 9th, 2024.
The Planning Committee for the Treaty Gathering is comprised of representatives from RHW, RHTLF and the host communityand consists of about 10 members. The purpose of the planning committee is to support logistics planning, eventmanagement activities, and the development of the Gathering objectives and agenda for the year.
The committee determines a meeting schedule that will meet the planning requirements of the Gathering and typically beginsmeeting in late winter and meets weekly to check in on planning progress.
Host community representatives are key planning committee members as they serve as a conduit between community staff,volunteers, and vendors and ensure that planning efforts align with community capacity.
The Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering is held each year for the Anishinaabe communities of the Robinson HuronTreaty of 1850 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of 1850. It is also an opportunity to exert sovereigntyover our traditional territory, gather strength and guidance from our Ancestors, and improve education and awareness of theTreaty in First Nation and settler communities. Treaty Gatherings provide a means for Elders’ knowledge and the practice ofceremony to be passed on to youth. They are regarded as an important means of bringing people together. This is a greatcommunication method to share and gather information. 2023 marked our largest Gathering in recent history, hostingapproximately 1,200 in-person participants and countless more online over three days in Ketegaunseebee Anishinabek(Garden River First Nation) and Sault Ste Marie.
2024 marks the 174th anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850. The location and venue for theGathering this year have yet to be determined, and the Gathering will host approximately 750 participants, plus politicalleadership, Treaty experts and workshop presenters.
The promotion of the gathering to its membership and general RH Treaty communities in seeking out and executingpromotional opportunities within the host community, and the region.
RHW, RHTLF and the host community will work together to generate media interest for the event. This includes:
Press releases and press conferences
Social media and website activity
All promotional materials (i.e., posters, signage, etc.)
In-venue announcements and signage)
Each year, the host community develops and provides insight for the program development of the gathering agenda, alongwith holding a social event during the Gathering. Exploring creative ideas/concepts for social functions related to theRobinson Huron Treaty of 1850 is encouraged.
During the planning phase, the planning committee may request the advice and assistance of the host community withrespect to several matters, including acquiring the names and contact information of local dignitaries, speakers, suppliers,performers, and others whom the planning committee may approach to play a role in the Treaty Gathering’s agenda.
The host community for the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering changes each year, reflecting the different regionsof the territory. As The Gathering has gotten larger, alternative Gathering locations outside host communities should beconsidered to accommodate greater in-person participation and maintain hybrid event formats.
The host community will assist in the selection of an appropriate venue and location, either within the community or at anearby venue which has the capacity to host up to 1,000 participants at the Gathering.
The Host Community will support the coordination of the following site logistics to ensure a smooth gathering experience inthe following areas:
The venue should have dedicated free parking and suitable shuttle transportation if parking is further from the venue forelders, etc.
The venue should have a dedicated area for elderly parking, etc.
Ensure daily garbage and recycling are collected and disposed of throughout the gathering.
Working closely with the direction of the community and the Cultural Advisors from the RHW and RHTFL to harvestmedicines for ceremonial and gifting purposes.
Providing a strong internet collection for on-site staff throughout the duration of the event.
Exclusive access to a printer for the duration of the event.
The Host Community will be responsible for the recruitment, selection, and scheduling of a contingent of approximately 40 to50 volunteers for the event to run efficiently. Volunteers will work in a variety of capacities to ensure that the event is plannedand executed to the standards of the RHW and the RHTLF.
The Safety and Well-Being of community members and visitors to the Host community is of utmost importance throughoutthe Gathering. The Host Community will work with local emergency services to coordinate and develop a safety plan for theupcoming gathering, which could include Road closures and first aid/security.
Encouraging the Host Community to provide local representation from within the community, otherwise open to the possibilityof other names to be provided throughout discussions of the planning stages.
This process has been reviewed and approved by the RHW Political Working Group Committee and RHTLF Litigation Management Committee.
The Planning Committee will distribute the Community Host RFP document and any supplementary information to the 21 Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 communities by January 8, 2024. This will include an indication of the deadline for submissions, which will be six weeks.
RHW and RHTLF will appoint two members each to form the Selection Committee, chaired by Jolene Recollet, RHW Policyand Administrative Coordinator.
RH Treaty of 1850 communities wishing to host the 2024 Treaty Gathering will prepare a submission and forward it bye-mail (in PDF format) to Earl Commanda, RHW Executive Director (earl@waawiindamaagewin.com)
The Selection Committee will evaluate submissions according to selection criteria. All submitting communities that meet selection criteria will then be evaluated according to the strength of the submission and ability to meet selection criteria.
If there is a tie, the Selection Committee will review the submissions again and vote until consensus is reached on the recommendation of the 2024 host community.
The Selection Committee will make a final recommendation to the RHW Political Working Group and RHTLF LitigationManagement Committees. The two committees make the final decision on which community will host the 2024 Gathering.
The Selection Committee will notify the successful community that their submission was selected and work with the community’s administration to appoint members to the Planning Committee and plan the Gathering.
.RHW and RHTLF reserve the right to reject any or all proposals and to accept the proposal deemed most favourable to the interests of the organizations and their partners.
RHW and RHTLF also reserve the right to seek clarification and supplementary information from proponents after the submission deadline.
Instructions: Your written response to this RFP must demonstrate your community’s ability to meet or exceed the selectioncriteria listed below. Your submission must be structured to address each of the following categories outlined below:
Demonstrate the community’s commitment to collaboration in the planning process of the 2024 Gathering. Articulate clearcollaboration with community partners, including local artists, performers and organizations doing work relevant to theGathering theme.
Outline clear and sufficient administrative, planning, and logistics support available during the planning process (includingroles for community members to become involved).
Describe sources of anticipated in-kind community contributions to the 2024 Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering.
Develop an outline of potential spaces where the Gathering can be held and how those spaces accommodate cultural andexperiential learning opportunities.
Describe mitigations for amenities not available—for example, if the proposed site is a smaller space or not within theimmediate vicinity of available accommodations.
All submitted proposals must include the following:
Identification of Host Community/Communities
Description of proposed hosting location and surrounding community and amenities
Overview of community facilities available for use during the Treaty Gathering
Description of nearby accommodation options available and services included.
Estimate of location and venue costs, including rental fees and site improvement costs.
Description of available community resources available to support the planning and execution of the Treaty Gathering(human resources, community buildings and infrastructure, etc.,)
Demonstration of understanding of commitment needed by the community for the Gathering to be successful
Clear communication of community commitment and enthusiasm to host the Gathering (BCR, letter of support, etc.,)
The Proposal shall satisfy the following formatting requirements:
The Proposal shall not exceed five (5) pages, excluding attachments.
The Proposal should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in this RFP and should clearlyindicate the section of this RFP that is being addressed.
The Proposal shall include all required information indicated herein. Failure to submit all required information may resultin a request for prompt submission of missing information, giving a lowered evaluation of the Proposal, or rejection of theProposal.
Questions and requests for additional information should be sent to Jolene Recollet, Policy andAdministrative Coordinator (jolene@waawiindamaagewin.com). Questions are due on January 8, 2024. Afterthis date, a response is not guaranteed.
The deadline for submissions of proposals to host the 2024 Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering isFriday, February 17, 2023, at 4:30 pm.
Proposals should be in PDF format and sent to Earl Commanda, Executive Director (earl@waawiindamaagewin.com), witha copy to jolene@waawiindamaagewin.com. Please submit proposal packages as email attachments, as downloading fromcloud storage services can be unreliable.
info@waawiindamaagewin.com
1.877.633.7558
473 Hwy 17 W , Cutler, On., P0P1B0
Copyright @ 2022 Robinson Huron Waawiindaamaagewin | All Rights Reserved
