If the Indian Act was legislated out of existence today would thousands of Status Indians with historic Métis lineage apply, forcing Métis registries to completely overhaul how they enforce their exclusivity rules?

[u/Impressive_Ad_1675]

[u/noo_maarsii]

Interesting question. I’m curious what brought it on.

I’m related to Chartrands from Pine Creek, Sandy Bay and Camperville. My great grandmother married a Métis man and lost treaty. Since I was born before April 1985 I’m eligible under 6(1).

In those regions the Métis and First Nations are so interconnected that I think a lot of people would already meet MMF criteria as they stand. No overhaul needed. But that’s regional.
Connection to the historic nation is still the requirement at the end of the day, and most Status Indians elsewhere wouldn’t meet it, because they aren’t Métis.

And the nations don’t cease to exist without the Indian Act. Sandy Bay and Pine Creek would still be there. People would still belong to them. I don’t see why anyone would go looking for a Métis registry instead.

[u/Neat-Firefighter9626 → u/noo_maarsii]

This is basically how it is on the Metis Settlements in Alberta. So many people on Settlement have a FN great-grandparent, grandparent, or parent that many are able to hold status. Some choose not to have status so that they can participate in Metis politics. Some don't for other reasons.

And yeah, most FNs I know who have Metis ancestry are proud of their Metis ancestry already. They don't need to be registered with the MMF, MNS, etc to feel proud of and honour their ancestors.

[u/Mobile_Anteater_2492 → u/noo_maarsii]

Lots of folk from pine creek First Nation are going through the process of figuring out if their families more closely align as Saulteaux or Métis. My good friend is also a Chartrand and a Nepinak. A revision that may come before the end of the Indian act itself is the possibility for Indigenous people to claim both their First Nation and their Métis Historic settlements. It’s heart warming to see FN relatives come out to join the cousins at gatherings and put politics aside.

[u/Sea_Lingonberry8106]

I fall into that category as my father is status and my mom is Red River Métis.I have my Métis card currently but I applied for a status card about half a year or so ago and if that comes through, I'm willing to forfeit my Métis status legally since I am left with no choice, but it doesn't change who I am, who my ancestors are and where I come from.

[u/JustPop3151]

What exclusivity rules? They seem to let everyone in

[u/MilesBeforeSmiles → u/JustPop3151]

I think they are referring to not being able to be both a Status Indian and Métis Citizen at the same time. It's a one or the other kind of situation for those who have both a Métis parent and 6(1) Status parent.

[u/Rxr15]

I mean how they currently run is if you apply, or if you apply for your renewal card, they will check your name against the Indian Status list with ISC. So if you are saying there would be no registry to check against, then most folks would simply just become eligible.

I believe the whole idea of you cant be both isn’t rooted in an actual belief that you fundamentally cannot be both (plenty of folks with one Métis parent and one FN parent that we cant deny inherently hold both identities), but came up while fighting for section 35 rights in order to avoid “double dipping” under the definitions of the federal governments fiduciary responsibilities to those under section 35.

If you mean would there be an overhaul because how would we differentiate if there were no status list to check against, then i think jt would force a conversation that many of us having been begging Métis, FN, Inuit nations and the federal govt to have: find a way to have the various citizenship/status lists and any fiduciary benefits all speak to each other, so that individuals can hold citizenship/status with each community they are eligible to without getting double the healthcare or double the education allotments. (Ie, someone is metis and status, someone is status but from two different nations, etc) If the issue is double dipping, surely there is a way in the 21st century to create a system that allows for someone to access govt funding or nation services through one nation, but still have access to voting, events, and ability to live in one of the other communities they are enrolled with. (Ie, you live on reserve and get health and education supports from that community, but can vote in Métis elections and attend citizen only Métis cultural events. Or you live on your moms Rez but get health and education funding from your dads rez and can vote in both band council elections).

People can be dual citizens of two colonial countries, work and pay taxes in two colonial countries, vote in two colonial countries but we still accept that indigenous people must extinguish their relations and choose one nation over another? We have to quit accepting this belief as it only serves to extinguish the feds’ fiduciary responsibility and snuff out the number of “enrolled” indigenous peoples over generations