There are more Metis in Canada than ever before, says the newest census data. Figures released Tuesday by Statistics Canada show the Metis population comprises more than 51 per cent of the country’s Indigenous people.
14 thoughts on “Metis Nation disputes Census data”
Who are you kidding Sheryl, it does not mean the Half-Breed of the 1870 Manitoba Act. It cannot mean them because their government is Canada. They cannot have Metis govern them. do you homework first.
Many ppl think Metis means mixed blood..Google it
At one time it did. Then it was changed to mean the union between French men and Native women. THen later the Scots and Native women. And much later any union between European and Native and now somehow only the West can claim as they must have grown up from the soils on the banks of the Red River.
When I read comments on this issue of who is and is not entitled to call themselves ‘First Nation’ Indigenous, or simply Indigenous, or lay claim to being Metis while others refute the claim, I feel very sad for all those who wish to claim Indigenous heritage and get to know more about their ancestral history, language, and traditions. In the US, we have band chiefs demanding that those living on the reserves submit to a DNA test, and if it is less than a certain percent, that person loses status and is evicted from the reserve. The other day, a man claiming to be Indigenous and advocating for his people, got into a snarking contest with a young women who did not share his point of view, and accused her of being “too rezzed”. As a non-native, that sounded to me, as if he had contempt for those who choose to remain on the reserves, as opposed to those like himself, who have built successful lives in mainstream society by assimilation. I could of course, be mistaken in my interpretation. Nevertheless, it is apparent that there is great disagreement between various groups about who can lay claim to any particular type of Indigenous identity. And that is a big problem, if we are to achieve any sort of Reconcilation and Truth saying between our Indigenous peoples and our White Settler society.
Talk about insulting. He has to be a trump supporter
Of course the MMF disputes that. They forget that the census ask people if they identify as Metis, not if they belong to the elite club that the MNC & acolytes call the “Metis Nation”. Their hubris and dictatorship is reaching a pathetic and dangerous level!!
Let’s not forget that the MMF refuses to publish their membership statistics. Gee, I wonder why?????? Last year, I did an analysis of their numbers. They claim to represent 400,000 Metis in western Canada, yet according to their membership numbers found on their websites, they have 102,000 members. Where are the other 298,000 Metis????? (MMF does not report its membership so I calculated 30,000 members, keeping in line with Alberta’s membership).
Let’s also remember that Chartrand, Chartier and company constantly call themselves the Metis “NATION”, which is false representation and identity appropriation in my humble opinion. The Metis “Nation” comprise ALL Metis people from sea to sea to sea, not only the small patch of land the MNC defines as their “homeland”. They can have a homeland if they want, but they CANNOT and SHOULD NOT ever call themselves the Metis “Nation”, just like they cannot and should not call themselves the Metis “National” Council. They can call themselves the Red River Metis, or any other name they want, but not the Metis “Nation”. Everyone with a bit of historical knowledge knows that the first Metis peoples were born in the east in the 1600s, not in the west in the 1800s. Everyone with a bit of historical knowledge knows that the word Metis comes from the east and was used there almost 150 years before any white man ever set foot in the west.
NEWS FLASH CHARTRAND: The province of Manitoba is not the ancestral homeland of the Metis in Canada – Quebec and eastern Canada is!!!!
CHARTRAND STATES: “I can guarantee there are not even 100,000 members of the Metis Nation in Ontario. Only a small part of the homeland is in Ontario. I guarantee it.”
Wow, talk about being nice to MNO, one of your partners in the MNC 🙂 Stats Can reports, 120,585 Metis in Ontario. I am not surprised by that number and in fact, I predicted that (by my calculations), at many as 120,000 people in Ontario would identify as Metis before 2020. Considering that Ontario has 13 million peoples, it’s a simple statistical equation in relation to the rest of the country.
I agree with you and I am a red river Metis but I cannot stand and say that the MNC represents me while these people collect more funds personally than the Prime Minister does by double and triple dipping. I often wonder if the first ministers get per diems since they keep funding this organization under these circumstances
I’ve wondered the very same thing, Earl Belcourt. I was blown away by hearing the Minister of Finance announce in parliament that he was granting $113 millions to the MNC!!!!! And then to hear Minister Bennett claim that to be recognized as Metis, one had to meet the Powley test…. a harvest court decision in Sault Ste-Marie, Ont. Imagine that!!!! A harvest case decides the identity of a person!
The MNC and its acolytes do NOT speak for all the Metis nationally… and never will be accepted as the spokesperson of all the Metis in Canada. They speak and rake in the money for the members of their elite club, not for the Metis “Nation” throughout Canada.
My opinions — I’d be interested in knowing how many local Detroit River region Metis were registered and given cards from MNO in Windsor this past year, because I would imagine the number is very low, now that they have a new definition of who they will consider is Metis. They have not given me answers although I asked for information directly from their leader there. I believe they have an office they run using govt funding, and yet they don’t know how many locals they formally represent? And of those they do represent, they apparently don’t know how many new members have ancestry from the historic fur trade post at Detroit/Windsor?? Wow it would be nice to know that our tax dollars are going to an organization that represents the local Metis, that they are acknowledging the many Metis families that originate from the local area, and that the numbers warrant them having an office in Windsor. Otherwise, what are they doing there if they don’t have any intention on representing the local Metis by registering them? I’d like answers. Anytime in the next several days is fine, and I’ll thank you in advance! BTW, in the 1800s the fur trade contract descriptions for the men going to the “Northwest” included all Metis and everything west, northwest and southwest of Montreal, including Detroit. How some people today are attempting to decide where Metis are — in my opinion — is not supported by the numerous archived documents that describe otherwise.
Well my Dear did you know that the Metis People and the Half Breed People are two separate People, but it seems no one is aware of this. Back in 1870 there were 2 People who come from unions with the First Nation. There was the English speaking People who were called the Half-Breed and there were the French speaking People who were called Metis. The Half-Breed were created in the 1500’s where the Metis were created 100’s of years later by explorers and fur traders. Louis Riel was the Half-Breeds’ Leader not the Metis’ Leader. Did you know that in the 1870 Manitoba Act that the 1.4 million of acres of land set aside for the Half-Breed children is only for the Half-Breed Children and not for the Metis Children. This is why the Metis could never win the Land Claim, it didn’t belong to them. The Half-Breed lived on this land and owned it individually. When Louis Riel agreed to make this area a province called Manitoba he ensured that Canada put this Land in the Manitoba Act to protect the Half-Breed Children’s Land. He also made an agreement that when it was put in this Act that the Half-Breed would no longer govern themselves but would blend into the Canada and Manitoba Governments. Also in the early 1900’s preference was given to the Metis National Council to use only the name Metis and exclude the name Half-Breed completely. This is why no one knows who they really are and think they are all Metis. Also since the Metis cannot govern the Half-Breed they also cannot give them any rights such as Harvesting, fighting for Residential School Compensation or the 60’s Scoop. If these children were from Manitoba more then likely they were the Half-Breed Children in these schools and part of the 60’s Scoop. So it is the Half-Breed that are forgotten and totally left out. Did you know that the Half-Breed are a Tribal People.
I agree with you the word Metis comes from the French word Métis which the French settlers of New Frances called half breed. In the US they don’t use the word Metis. They don’t know the meaning of Metis. We in Canada are lucky to be able to identify ourselves as Métis. This is our ancestral roots. Do not forget the problems that our ancestors had to be recognized. And today we have the same problems between us. Don’t forget the saying together we stand stronger. Can anyone tell me what is a metis. Are you a metis if your aboriginal ancestor dates from the 17 century or are you a Metis if your aboriginal ancestor dates from the 20 century. Are you a Metis because you belong to a tribe. Are you a Métis because you live in a reserve. Are you a Metis because you live in western Canada. Really I don’t understand what is all this argument about who is and who’s not. What bonification could this give to western Canada Métis.
My understanding of who is Metis is anyone who has First Nation Ancestral background, but does not qualify for First Nation Status, and does not come from the Historical Half-Breed Tribe of the 1870 Manitoba Act where Half-Breed Land Script was issued to this Tribe as Louis Riel as their Leader.
There is no French word for Half-Breed did you know that, so how could the French call Half-Breeds Metis?
We were not able to state that we are Metis in the last census !!!
Who are you kidding Sheryl, it does not mean the Half-Breed of the 1870 Manitoba Act. It cannot mean them because their government is Canada. They cannot have Metis govern them. do you homework first.
Many ppl think Metis means mixed blood..Google it
At one time it did. Then it was changed to mean the union between French men and Native women. THen later the Scots and Native women. And much later any union between European and Native and now somehow only the West can claim as they must have grown up from the soils on the banks of the Red River.
When I read comments on this issue of who is and is not entitled to call themselves ‘First Nation’ Indigenous, or simply Indigenous, or lay claim to being Metis while others refute the claim, I feel very sad for all those who wish to claim Indigenous heritage and get to know more about their ancestral history, language, and traditions. In the US, we have band chiefs demanding that those living on the reserves submit to a DNA test, and if it is less than a certain percent, that person loses status and is evicted from the reserve. The other day, a man claiming to be Indigenous and advocating for his people, got into a snarking contest with a young women who did not share his point of view, and accused her of being “too rezzed”. As a non-native, that sounded to me, as if he had contempt for those who choose to remain on the reserves, as opposed to those like himself, who have built successful lives in mainstream society by assimilation. I could of course, be mistaken in my interpretation. Nevertheless, it is apparent that there is great disagreement between various groups about who can lay claim to any particular type of Indigenous identity. And that is a big problem, if we are to achieve any sort of Reconcilation and Truth saying between our Indigenous peoples and our White Settler society.
Talk about insulting. He has to be a trump supporter
Of course the MMF disputes that. They forget that the census ask people if they identify as Metis, not if they belong to the elite club that the MNC & acolytes call the “Metis Nation”. Their hubris and dictatorship is reaching a pathetic and dangerous level!!
Let’s not forget that the MMF refuses to publish their membership statistics. Gee, I wonder why?????? Last year, I did an analysis of their numbers. They claim to represent 400,000 Metis in western Canada, yet according to their membership numbers found on their websites, they have 102,000 members. Where are the other 298,000 Metis????? (MMF does not report its membership so I calculated 30,000 members, keeping in line with Alberta’s membership).
Let’s also remember that Chartrand, Chartier and company constantly call themselves the Metis “NATION”, which is false representation and identity appropriation in my humble opinion. The Metis “Nation” comprise ALL Metis people from sea to sea to sea, not only the small patch of land the MNC defines as their “homeland”. They can have a homeland if they want, but they CANNOT and SHOULD NOT ever call themselves the Metis “Nation”, just like they cannot and should not call themselves the Metis “National” Council. They can call themselves the Red River Metis, or any other name they want, but not the Metis “Nation”. Everyone with a bit of historical knowledge knows that the first Metis peoples were born in the east in the 1600s, not in the west in the 1800s. Everyone with a bit of historical knowledge knows that the word Metis comes from the east and was used there almost 150 years before any white man ever set foot in the west.
NEWS FLASH CHARTRAND: The province of Manitoba is not the ancestral homeland of the Metis in Canada – Quebec and eastern Canada is!!!!
CHARTRAND STATES: “I can guarantee there are not even 100,000 members of the Metis Nation in Ontario. Only a small part of the homeland is in Ontario. I guarantee it.”
Wow, talk about being nice to MNO, one of your partners in the MNC 🙂 Stats Can reports, 120,585 Metis in Ontario. I am not surprised by that number and in fact, I predicted that (by my calculations), at many as 120,000 people in Ontario would identify as Metis before 2020. Considering that Ontario has 13 million peoples, it’s a simple statistical equation in relation to the rest of the country.
I agree with you and I am a red river Metis but I cannot stand and say that the MNC represents me while these people collect more funds personally than the Prime Minister does by double and triple dipping. I often wonder if the first ministers get per diems since they keep funding this organization under these circumstances
I’ve wondered the very same thing, Earl Belcourt. I was blown away by hearing the Minister of Finance announce in parliament that he was granting $113 millions to the MNC!!!!! And then to hear Minister Bennett claim that to be recognized as Metis, one had to meet the Powley test…. a harvest court decision in Sault Ste-Marie, Ont. Imagine that!!!! A harvest case decides the identity of a person!
The MNC and its acolytes do NOT speak for all the Metis nationally… and never will be accepted as the spokesperson of all the Metis in Canada. They speak and rake in the money for the members of their elite club, not for the Metis “Nation” throughout Canada.
My opinions — I’d be interested in knowing how many local Detroit River region Metis were registered and given cards from MNO in Windsor this past year, because I would imagine the number is very low, now that they have a new definition of who they will consider is Metis. They have not given me answers although I asked for information directly from their leader there. I believe they have an office they run using govt funding, and yet they don’t know how many locals they formally represent? And of those they do represent, they apparently don’t know how many new members have ancestry from the historic fur trade post at Detroit/Windsor?? Wow it would be nice to know that our tax dollars are going to an organization that represents the local Metis, that they are acknowledging the many Metis families that originate from the local area, and that the numbers warrant them having an office in Windsor. Otherwise, what are they doing there if they don’t have any intention on representing the local Metis by registering them? I’d like answers. Anytime in the next several days is fine, and I’ll thank you in advance! BTW, in the 1800s the fur trade contract descriptions for the men going to the “Northwest” included all Metis and everything west, northwest and southwest of Montreal, including Detroit. How some people today are attempting to decide where Metis are — in my opinion — is not supported by the numerous archived documents that describe otherwise.
Well my Dear did you know that the Metis People and the Half Breed People are two separate People, but it seems no one is aware of this. Back in 1870 there were 2 People who come from unions with the First Nation. There was the English speaking People who were called the Half-Breed and there were the French speaking People who were called Metis. The Half-Breed were created in the 1500’s where the Metis were created 100’s of years later by explorers and fur traders. Louis Riel was the Half-Breeds’ Leader not the Metis’ Leader. Did you know that in the 1870 Manitoba Act that the 1.4 million of acres of land set aside for the Half-Breed children is only for the Half-Breed Children and not for the Metis Children. This is why the Metis could never win the Land Claim, it didn’t belong to them. The Half-Breed lived on this land and owned it individually. When Louis Riel agreed to make this area a province called Manitoba he ensured that Canada put this Land in the Manitoba Act to protect the Half-Breed Children’s Land. He also made an agreement that when it was put in this Act that the Half-Breed would no longer govern themselves but would blend into the Canada and Manitoba Governments. Also in the early 1900’s preference was given to the Metis National Council to use only the name Metis and exclude the name Half-Breed completely. This is why no one knows who they really are and think they are all Metis. Also since the Metis cannot govern the Half-Breed they also cannot give them any rights such as Harvesting, fighting for Residential School Compensation or the 60’s Scoop. If these children were from Manitoba more then likely they were the Half-Breed Children in these schools and part of the 60’s Scoop. So it is the Half-Breed that are forgotten and totally left out. Did you know that the Half-Breed are a Tribal People.
I agree with you the word Metis comes from the French word Métis which the French settlers of New Frances called half breed. In the US they don’t use the word Metis. They don’t know the meaning of Metis. We in Canada are lucky to be able to identify ourselves as Métis. This is our ancestral roots. Do not forget the problems that our ancestors had to be recognized. And today we have the same problems between us. Don’t forget the saying together we stand stronger. Can anyone tell me what is a metis. Are you a metis if your aboriginal ancestor dates from the 17 century or are you a Metis if your aboriginal ancestor dates from the 20 century. Are you a Metis because you belong to a tribe. Are you a Métis because you live in a reserve. Are you a Metis because you live in western Canada. Really I don’t understand what is all this argument about who is and who’s not. What bonification could this give to western Canada Métis.
My understanding of who is Metis is anyone who has First Nation Ancestral background, but does not qualify for First Nation Status, and does not come from the Historical Half-Breed Tribe of the 1870 Manitoba Act where Half-Breed Land Script was issued to this Tribe as Louis Riel as their Leader.
There is no French word for Half-Breed did you know that, so how could the French call Half-Breeds Metis?
We were not able to state that we are Metis in the last census !!!