Jean-Baptiste Cope | |
|---|---|
 Signature of Jean Baptiste Cope (Beaver) | |
| Nickname(s) | Major Cope |
| Born | 1698 Port Royal, Nova Scotia |
| Died | October, 1758-1760 Miramichi, New Brunswick |
| Battles/wars | Father Rale's War
|
Jean Baptiste Cope (Kopit in Mi’kmaq meaning ‘beaver’) was also known as Major Cope, a title he was probably given from the French military, the highest rank given to Mi’kmaq.[1] Cope was the sakamaw (chief) of the Mi'kmaq people of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia (Indian Brook 14, Nova Scotia/ Mi’kma'ki). He maintained close ties with the Acadians along the Bay of Fundy, speaking French and being Catholic.[2] During Father Le Loutre’s War, Cope participated in both military efforts to resist the British and also efforts to create peace with the British. During the French and Indian War he was at Miramichi, New Brunswick, where he is presumed to have died during the war. Cope is perhaps best known for signing the Treaty of 1752 with the British, which was upheld in the Supreme Court of Canada in 1985[3][4] and is celebrated every year along with other treaties on Treaty Day (October 1).[5]
- ^ Plank (1996), p. 31.
- ^ Plank (1996), p. 28.
- ^ Simon v. The Queen, 1985 CanLII 11, 2 SCR 387 (1985), Supreme Court (Canada)
- ^ "Simon v. The Queen". Judgments of the Supreme Court of Canada. 21 November 1985. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016 – via Lexum.com.
- ^ "Treaty Day: Celebrating the Anniversary of our 1752 Treaty of Friendship and Peace". Union of Nova Scotia Indians. 1 October 1986. Retrieved 11 January 2014.