How do governments recognize Métis cultures and rights through legislation?

1. How do governments recognize Métis cultures and rights through legislation?

2. Points of Fact • Métis considered part of Canada’s aboriginal peoples under section 35 of constitution. • Métis do not have any historical treaties with Canadian government. • Métis consider rights to land, and rights to use land in traditional ways, as inherent rights, rights they have because they are first nations peoples.

3. 1869 – 1870 Red River Resistance • Métis led resistance resulted in the Manitoba Act passed by Parliament in 1870. • Provisional government established by Métis with Louis Riel as its president. Riel championed the cause for both Métis and Francophone rights. • Established; • Manitoba a bilingual province • Had education rights for Catholics and Protestants. • Métis land rights. • Métis would receive over 500,000 hectares of land plus land they had established along the Red River.

4. 1875-1879 - Scrip • Canada’s government issue scrip to Métis, instead of establishing Métis lands in Manitoba. • Métis offered choice: to accept scrip or become “Treaty Indians” under Numbered Treaty. • Government view was; Métis did not have same rights to land as First Nations – did not require reserves. • Métis perspective was/is – Métis have rights to land as an aboriginal people. Scrip could be exchanged for land, but Métis found it difficult to use scrip to establish a large tract of land where they could all live together. Many Métis sold their scrip and left Manitoba and moved west (Alberta and Saskatchewan)

5. Northwest Resistance - 1885 • This resistance was about protecting Metis lands in Saskatchewan, as railway and settlers moved westward. • Métis view was a way to assert their rights – like Red River Resistance. • Canadian government – saw it as an attempt to overthrow Canada's authority.

6. Northwest Resistance - 1885 • Louis Riel led this resistance which ended in a military conflict between the Metis and Canada’s government. • Metis sent petitions to Ottawa about land rights, however the government did not respond. • Did government neglect or dismiss petition.

7. Louis Riel • Riel hung for treason in Regina on Nov. 16, 1885. • Many Anglophones agreed with the sentence. • Most Francophone's opposed the sentence and saw it as a betrayal of the Francophone-Anglophone agreement at the foundation of Confederation. • Today many people consider Louis Riel a “Father of Confederation”

8. 1896 – 1910 St. Paul • Métis settlers establish farms near St. Paul, Alberta (St. Paul des Métis)– on land provided by the Catholic Church. • Eventually had to leave the land after settlement closed because they did not have title to the land.

9. 1938 – Métis Population Betterment Act • This Act established twelve temporary Métis settlements. • The first time in Canada’s history a government provided the Métis people with land.

10. 1946 – 1960 • Temporary settlements did not give Métis control over the land. • Four settlements proved unsuitable for farming, hunting or fishing, land went to government of Alberta. • Métis nation of Alberta 1932 lobbied for Métis settlements during “Depression”

11. 1982 Constitution • Métis lobbied to be recognized in Canada’s constitution. • Métis included in Constitution; included in section 35 of Constitution recognizing

12. 1990 • Constitution of Alberta Amendment Act • Métis Settlement Accord Implementation Act • Métis Settlement Act • Métis Settlements Land Protection Act

13. Questions • Based on information in this section, what would you say is the most important legislation that recognizes Métis collective rights in Canada? Why? • How do governments recognize Métis cultures and rights through legislation (i.e., treaties, governance, land claims, Métis Settlements in Alberta)?