James Andrew Joseph McKenna

1862 - 1919

In 1887, he was assigned to the Department of Indian Affairs and became private secretary to the Superintendent General Sir John A. McDonald an in 1888, Mr McKenna was promoted to second class clerk and at the same time, he studied law and became an expertise in legal matters that assisted him professionally on a number of key assignments in the years to follow.

In 1897, the new Superintendent General, Clifford Sifton selected McKenna as his private secretary for work connected with the department. Mr McKenna along with Thomas Gainsford Rothwell was sent out to work out a settlement with the British Columbia government regarding the administration of the Railway Belt and the Peace River Block. These land were conveyed to the Ottawa by the province to assist with the construction of the transcontinental railway. At which time, Mr. McKenna was promoted to a first-class clerk from a second-class clerk during the following year.

In 1899, Mr. McKenna was chosen to join the Indian Commissioner David Laird and James Hamilton Ross of the North-West Territorial government to negotiate Treaty 8 with the Indians in the District of Athabasca and northeastern corner of British Columbia that was being disturbed by gold miners en route to the Klondike. The term of treaty were similar to those in earlier treaties except on McKenna’s initiative that the option of taking land in severalty rather than in reserves was provided. Mr. McKenna also proposed that Indians should be given a lump sum in lieu of annuities but was rejected by Sifton. Treaty 8 was successfully negotiated over the summer with visits to Fort St. John, B.C., Fort Dunvegan, AB, Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray to secure adhesion to treaty by the various bands.

During the Treaty 8 negotiations, a separate group of commissioners worked in conjunction with the Treaty 8 commissioners to deal with land claims made by mixed-blood population of this region. In 1900, Mr. McKenna and Major James Walker were appointed the two new commissioners to deal with the large number of claims that were not satisfied during the treaty 8 negotiations. In 1901 to 1904, McKenna was appointed sole commissioner to dispose of the remaining land claims made by mixed-bloods.

Mr McKenna was recommended by Sifton to replace the aging Laird and required to stay permanently in the west to carry out some Laird’s duties. In 1901, Mr McKenna was promoted to assistant Indian commissioner and the Chief Inspector of agencies for Manitoba and the North West Territories with the head office located in Winnipeg.

Mr McKenna was a staunch champion of his department’s repressive policies, supporting residential schooling and the harsh measures taken against traditional dances and Indian appearances at exhibitions.