Peguis First Nation
Peguis First Nation is the largest First Nation community in Manitoba, Canada, with approximately 10,246 registered members primarily of Ojibway and Cree descent, located on reserves including Peguis 1B in Treaty 1 territory roughly 196 kilometres north of Winnipeg.[1]
Named for Chief Peguis (c. 1774–1864), a Saulteaux leader who guided his band westward from near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to the Red River region in the late 1790s and signed the 1817 Selkirk Treaty permitting European settlement in exchange for reserves and annuities, the nation originated from allied Ojibway groups that established settlements at Netley Creek and St. Peter's (now East Selkirk).[1][2][3]
A defining event was the 1907 surrender of the original St. Peter's Reserve, executed amid allegations of coercion and procedural flaws that Canada later acknowledged as invalid after prolonged legal contention, forcing relocation to the flood-vulnerable Peguis 1B lands where the community has endured repeated inundations, including severe events in modern history.[1][3][4]
Governed by an elected Chief and Council, Peguis has focused on economic diversification via the Peguis Development Corporation and community infrastructure, such as health centres, while addressing ongoing environmental and infrastructural challenges to foster self-reliance.[5]