In 1851, the ancestors of the Kwakiutl entered into treaties with James Douglas, then acting as agent for the Hudson's Bay Company, so that the company could gain access to coal deposits on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
In 1851, the ancestors of the Kwakiutl collaborated with James Douglas, who was acting on behalf of the Hudson's Bay Company, allowing the company to exploit coal resources on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.