🕊️ June 25, 1761 – The Treaty Renewal (Burying the Hatchet Ceremony)

• On June 25, 1761, Mi’kmaq communities from Shediac, Pokemouche, and Miramichi reaffirmed the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1760 

• Known as the “Burying the Hatchet” ceremony, this marked an official end to nearly a century of conflict and set the foundation for peaceful coexistence and shared rights 

• Crucially, unlike many treaties of the time, these agreements did not involve land surrender — instead, they reaffirmed Mi’kmaq hunting, fishing, and trading rights, later upheld under Canada’s Constitution Act, 1982 

📚 This event remains foundational in legal discussions today, such as the Burnt Church Crisis (1999–2002) where Mi’kmaq rights under these treaties were affirmed by the Supreme Court

⚖️ June 25, 1896 – Death of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley

• Born in Gagetown on May 8, 1818, Tilley grew from a pharmacist to a legislator (1850), NB Premier (1861–65, 1866–67), and federal minister 

• He played a crucial role at Confederation conferences, helped found the Dominion of Canada, and championed the term “Dominion”—drawing on the biblical phrase “from sea to sea”

• In later years, he served twice as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, federal Finance Minister, and was knighted in 1879 Saint John  Posthumously, his life story was chronicled in the book The Life and Times of Sir Leonard Tilley (1897), and his birthplace in Gagetown is preserved as a museum 

📣 Legacy & Modern Reflections

• Statue in King’s Square: Created by Louis‑Philippe Hébert around 1910, the monument honors Tilley’s contributions 

• Controversy and Reconciliation: In 2021, during renewed conversation on residential schools, the statue was defaced with paint and “Land Back” — sparking dialogue on colonial celebration versus Indigenous reconciliation