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1875: October 15, 1877 - Commonage

Canada and British Columbia signed the Agreement of 1875-1876 which established a joint Indian Reserve Commission. The commissioners passed Minutes of Decision to establish eight Indian reserves and a Commonage reserve in the North Okanagan. The Commonage was reserved for winter grazing by the cattle of both the Native people and the new settlers. No system for policing the cattle grazing on the Commonage was established. (Manuscript #7) The land was released for settlement in 1892 when the Indian Reserve Commissioners established an Indian reserve on the north west side of Okanagan Lake.