Canada acquired the rights to most of the lands within its national borders primarily through the transfer of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada in 1869-1870. This transfer granted Canada full control and sovereignty over a vast territory that was then renamed the Northwest Territories. Following this, a series of treaties known as the Numbered Treaties were negotiated between 1871 and 1921 with Indigenous peoples to resolve land titles and clear the way for settlement and resource development. Key points:
- Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory were transferred from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada in 1869, with jurisdiction officially passed on July 15, 1870.
- This transfer gave Canada sovereignty over much of its western and northern lands.
- The Royal Proclamation of 1763 had earlier established protocols for relations and land rights with Indigenous peoples, including recognizing their title to the land and stipulating that only the Crown could purchase Indigenous land.
- Between 1871 and 1921, the Numbered Treaties were signed to address Indigenous land rights in various regions, thereby formalizing Canada’s control and opening lands to settlers.
- Additionally, Canada gained rights to the North American Arctic islands from Britain in 1880.
Therefore, the acquisition of land rights within Canada’s national borders occurred through legal transfers from the Hudson's Bay Company around 1870 and subsequent treaties with Indigenous peoples through to the early 20th century.