A University of Saskatchewan professor of Aboriginal Rights and Claims says recently filed land claims suit by the Métis will have to be defined.
The Métis nations of Alberta and Saskatchewan have filed a major land claim lawsuit against the federal government that seeks redress for an area of roughly 120,000 square kilometres – about 526 times the size of Saskatoon.
The appellants say they are seeking compensation from Ottawa alleging the government never came close to honouring what was promised to Métis people under the scrip system.
“The Métis clearly have Indigenous Rights. After the Daniels Decision they clearly have other Indigenous rights as somewhat akin to status Indians is yet to be defined. But, we know the rights have to be defined,” said Ken Coates.
In 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Métis and non-status Indians were “Indians” under section 91 of the Constitution Act.
Under scrip, the lawsuit says each Métis individual was promised 160 to 240 acres of land, or equivalent monetary value, but the federal government never came close to living up to the agreement.
Coates said the lawsuit is an indication of how serious the Métis are.
“It’s happened many times in Canadian history where you start the legal process and make it clear you are serious. The government says they’re serious, we better start negotiating and you start negotiating. Maybe five years later, ten years later we get a resolution,” Coates explained.
With files from Fraser Needham.
(PHOTO: Members of the Alberta and Saskatchewan Métis nations leave Court of Queen’s Bench in Saskatoon after filing a major land claim lawsuit against the federal government. Photo by Fraser Needham.)