Land & Resources

Outlines historical relationship between Métis and their environment, particularly the harvesting of resources.

Describes the movement of Métis from the Red River Settlement following the Red River Resistance to western Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Translation of a portion of Le Métis Canadien. Entire issue on one pdf file, scroll to page 1.

Brief list of resources divided into four sections: kinship, land relations, tools and impacts of colonization, calls to action.

Chapter 5 from From Rupert's Land to Canada: Essays in Honour of John E. Forster [edited by Theodore Binnema, Gerhard J. Ens, Roderick Macleod]

Briefly discusses trapping from the fur trade to present day, methods of trapping and process of tanning hides for use later in items such as clothing and bedding.

Argues that most studies which examine poverty and government income supports to Métis and other Indigenous communities fail to consider Aboriginal systems of reciprocity, wealth distribution and social obligations. Compares Métis and Euro-Canadian conceptualizations of social welfare. Entire Issue on one .pdf, scroll to page 7.

History Thesis (M.A.)--McGill University, 2009.

Topics include self-determination, self-government, Aboriginal title and land ownership issues.

Publication of the Manitoba Metis Lands Commission, with articles on English / French explorers and fur traders, the Pemmican War, the Battle of Seven Oaks, the Manitoba Lands Act, and a questionnaire relating to the study of Metish Lands Claims.

Taken from files of the Department of the Interior, compiled by Lawrence Vankoughnet, Deputy Minister. Starts on page 84.

Examines how Canada failed to fulfill its promise of land security after the creation of Manitoba, and that fears the same would happen in the North West Territories contributed to the armed conflict in 1885.

As well as this document, which petitioned for land be set aside for Métis "reserve", includes digitized copies of reports and correspondence relating to the creation and administration of St. Paul des Métis, Alberta.

Rural Sociology Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2011.

Reviews a conceptual framework that identifies both the oppression and the agency of a Métis settlement.

Geography Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of British Columbia, 2004.

Discusses the causes, management of, and groups responsible for prairie fires; contemporaries asserted that the Métis , halfbreed "bone hunters", and railroaders were primarily responsible. Entire issue on one pdf file, scroll to page 81.

History of the Cowdry Brothers' bank in Fort McLeod (1886-1905) includes their involvement with scrip.

Explains the background and operation of the Scrip system which as put in place by the federal government as a way of extinguishing the Métis' Indian title and dealing with the land grant provided by the Manitoba Act, 1870. "41st Parliament, 1st Session (June 2, 2011 - September 13, 2013)"

Explores legal mechanisms for implementing the transfer of land and the range of options for the way in which legal title can be held.

Written by the medical doctor who examined Riel three times to determine his sanity while he was imprisoned after the 1885 Resistance and awaiting trial. Originally published in the American Journal of Insanity, July 1887.

History Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto, 2017.

Focuses on Louis Riel's years in exile in Montana and his involvement with the Métis.

Canadian Heritage and Development Studies Program Thesis (M.A.)--Trent University, 1997.

Examines the apparent lack of scholarly work, concluding that there have been important strides recently with more attention, historically, on the lower classes of the fur trade society.

Looks at four reasons to reject the standard discourse: reliance on negative proof, represents governmental apologist manoeuvring, based on methodological individualism, the undermining of Aboriginal cultures in the writings of Thomas Flanagan.

Looks at the land scrip system and its failure to communicate interests in property.

Robert Mahood is a medical doctor who worked in the Neestow Student Partnership Project in 1965.

An analysis of settler's farming activities.

RCAP 164 contains a transcript of a portion of a sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Alberta. This portion includes presentations of individuals and groups dealing with various topics concerning The Metis Settlements Act, Metis self-government, housing and land ownership. Questions from the assembled Commissioners follow some presentations which can be viewed individually on this site.

This file contains an individual presentation by Terry Lusty titled 'Metis Land - An Incessant Saga', which first provides a brief history of Metis peoples in Canada. He states that it is essential that Metis people have a land base, training and/or education that is adequate and meets the demands of modern times. A brief question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.

File contains a presentation by Clem Chartier of the Metis Nation - Saskatchewan. Chartier relays the regrets of President Gerald Morin who was unable to attend the sitting, introduces some of the participants in attendance, then discusses Metis land title and land rights issues, hunting rights, economic concerns, self-government and self-determination, policy ideas, personal and collective healing, racism and discrimination, intergovernmental relations, and the Metis Nation Accord in order to "give a holistic view of our organization."

File contains a presentation by Dennis McLeod, Presdient of the Stanley Mission Metis Local, and Gabriel Dumont Institute Area Representative.

File contains a presentation by Elmer Herman. Herman discusses his work for the Metis Nation in Alberta as an advising counsellor, his views on Bill C-31, and the need for a Metis landbase. Following his presentation Commissioners Blakeney and Chartrand discuss the issues raised therein with Herman and previous presenter Betsy Brooks.

File contains a presentation by Howard Restoule of the Southern Ontario Metis and Aboriginal Association that responds to a questionnaire sent by the Commission prior to the hearings. The questions involve topics such as acquiring a land base, self-government, the implementation of treaties, the constitutional and legal position of Metis people and off-reserve Aboriginals, the Indian Act and social issues. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the previous five presenters and the Commissioners.

File contains a presentation by Jim Learning focusing on recognition and acceptance of the Labrador Metis people. His organization works for "equity of the treatment of our our people in Labrador through the land claims process." He states that the Canadian government must not longer continue to deny the rights of the Labrador Metis people. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.

File contains a presentation by Leon McAuley, Director, Provincial Metis Housing Authority. McAuley describes the problems facing Metis communities in the North, and advocates a new level of government (a Metis local government) to facilitate self-governance, as well as discusing economic development and a land base. Following the presentation a brief discussion on the definition of the Metis people takes place between Commissioner Chartrand and McAuley.

File contains a presentation by Leonard Morin, Regional Representative, Metis Society of Saskatchewan. Morin gives a demographic overview of northern Saskatchewan, relates some of the issues faced by northerners, then gives a beif overview of Metis history. Morin stresses the importance of gaining a Metis land base, and discusses possibilities for Metis self-governance. Morin then speaks on an issue of importance to his home community of Cumberland House, the construction of a traffic bridge connecting the community with the mainland across the river.

File contains a presentation by Max Morin, Metis Society of Saskatchewan, Regional Director - Chairman, Gabriel Dumont Institute. Morin discusses the problems faced by the Metis people in northern Saskatchewan, and complains that multinational corporations have more rights to the land than its rightful owners (the Metis themselves). Morin also discusses how wealth has been extracted from the region with no benefit to the people living there, who have actually gone into debt. Morin sees the way forward for the Metis as dependent upon good education for his people.

File contains a presentation by Robert Doucette. Doucette discusses conditions for Metis people within the City of Saskatoon, and Saskatchewan generally. Doucette highlights problems of institutional racism, access to education, ignorance of Aboriginal identity and issues in the general population, migration to urban centres, and related issues. Doucette also discusses the need for a Metis land base and the differences in the way the government addresses Metis and Treaty people's issues.

File contains a presentation by Robert Mercredi of the Metis Society of Saskatchewan. Mercredi discusses his organization, and the problems facing his people. He describes the Metis as Canada's forgotten people, and while offering support for the "Canada clause" of the Constitution stresses the need for the Metis to be recognized on an equitable level with their Indian and Inuit brothers and sisters. He bemoans the lack of a land base for the Metis people of Saskatchewan, and the lack of resources neccessary for basic governmental functioning.

Discusses the information about the settlement of the prairies that can be gleaned from the homesteading records held by The Saskatchewan Archives. Some discussion of the Métis’ occupation of the land and river lots system (pp 27-29). Entire issue on one pdf file, scroll to page 10.

Discussion of the validity of the federal government's argument that Métis do not fall under the term "Indians" as used in the Act and therefore are a provincial responsibility.