John Iron (Chief of Canoe Lake Band)

John Iron was the Chief of the Canoe Lake Band who agreed to Treaty 10 on September 19, 1906.

When the Indian Commissioner Thomas Borthwick met with Chief Iron and his band in 1907 at Buffalo Narrows to give them their Treaty annuities, Chief Iron told Borthwick that he felt that JAJ McKenna, the Indian Commissioner who had negotiated the Treaty with the Canoe Lake people, had not given him enough time to present his views on the Treaty. McKenna did not believe this was true and as a result, 'no credence was given to the statement.' As well, Chief Iron wanted to know why they were given less supplies and provisions than McKenna had given them the year before.

Chief Iron used the rest of his meeting with Borthwick to ask for seeds, farming implements, a school on their reserve, a horse sled and some assistance for the 7 elderly people in his band.

Sources: Anthony Gulig. "Yesterday's Promises: The Negotiations of Treaty Ten." In Saskatchewan History 50 (1). Saskatoon: Saskatchewan Archives Board, 1998.