The James Smith First Nation is a Cree First Nation band government whose reserve is in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada. James Smith has one Indian reserve Fort à la Corne #100 located north of Kinistino near Fort de la Corne on the Saskatchewan River. This reserve is shared between three first nations, the other two being the Peter Chapman First Nation and Chakastaypasin First Nation. James Smith has a present population of 2,412, with the on-reserve population estimated to be at 1,592 members. James Smith is part of the Prince Albert Grand Council. Bordering the reserve are the rural municipalities of Kinistino No. 459 and Torch River No. 488, as well as the Cumberland 100A Indian reserve.
Background and diversity of bands
Current Chiefs: Robert Head, Calvin Sanderson, Justin Burns, Hello Burns
The First Nation takes its name after Chief James Smith, a brother of Chief John Smith who founded the Muskoday First Nation.
Smith, who originated from the Saint Peter's Reserve in Manitoba, signed Treaty 6 at Fort Carlton in 1876. The population at the time of the signing was 134 members or 32 families. The original language spoken was Cree. Smith, alongside John, migrated to the area from the Red River district of Manitoba, and his Cree name has been recorded as `Notaw(k)eecheekanis'.
However, the term `nihtawikhicikanis means 'good growing area' and is better applied to the community rather than the chief.
The Chakastaypasin First Nation later joined the people of James Smith following the dissolution of their reserve near St. Louis after the North-West Rebellion (a process of presumably forced relocation vaguely assigned to "the late 1880s"). As they are separate signatories to Treaty 6, the Chakastapaysin do have some legal status as a separate nation, but their status as a separate First Nation remains in limbo, with an inquiry looming since 1999.
The people of the Peter Chapman First Nation were incorporated into the same band in 1902, but they are generally recognized as a separate band, with their legal status disputed both in court and by an ongoing commission of inquiry. Recently the three nations who had been forced under one government by the name of James Smith decided to separate into their founding bands.
The Margaret Turner Health Clinic, named after Margaret Turner in memory of her health work in the 1980s-90s, is located in the Middle Village.
The Bernard Constant Community School (BCCS) formerly known as James Smith School was renamed after teacher Bernard Constant in the 1980s. The James Smith School was originally in the South Village but in 1991 it was torn down and the new school was built in the Middle Village which opened on May 2, 1992. Buildings from the 1980s-90s were demolished, due to the lack of funds, but the South Hockey Ring was left.