Hudson’s Bay artifact auction faces opposition from Manitoba First Nations

The Hudson’s Bay Company is seeking to auction off a significant collection of historical possessions, but Indigenous stakeholders in Manitoba are demanding a seat at the table.

“There are thousands of sacred items, artifacts, and art pieces. We don’t even know the full extent of what’s in this catalogue—many of these items belong to First Nations,” said Kyra Wilson, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC). “How did you acquire all these artifacts and art pieces? We need to know the history behind them.”

An iconic part of Canadian history now stands at a crossroads, as the Hudson’s Bay Company’s centuries-old legacy could be broken up and dispersed through auction—unless growing opposition from Indigenous leaders and institutions gains traction.

In court on Thursday, the Hudson’s Bay Company sought permission to sell off several of its most significant historical items, including a 355-year-old royal charter, more than 1,700 pieces of art, and over 2,700 artifacts. The company argues that auctioning them off is the most transparent, fair, and efficient way to ensure the collection receives proper care and expert stewardship.

However, the AMC is calling for the auction to be halted. Grand Chief Wilson emphasized that many of the items carry deep cultural, spiritual, and historical significance for First Nations communities. While HBC has reached out to her, she fears the sale could result in the erasure of Indigenous history—a history in which HBC played a pivotal and often painful role.

“We know items have been stolen from First Nations, taken without consent,” Wilson said. “HBC has a deeply rooted colonial history with First Nations peoples.”

Wilson also stressed that this issue is broader than just HBC, pointing to longstanding concerns about how Indigenous artifacts and even human remains are stored in institutions and museums.

“We are aware of institutions that are storing the remains of our people,” she said. “It’s unfortunate, but this is both the history and the current reality for First Nations communities.”

The Manitoba Museum, which houses more than 27,000 artifacts from the HBC Museum Collection that were gifted in 1994, confirmed that those artifacts remain under their ownership and that status will not change. The museum also acknowledged the importance of the HBC Charter, stating they hope it remains publicly accessible in some form.

CityNews reached out to the Hudson’s Bay Company and Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP, but did not receive a response.