Métis Nation–Saskatchewan is preparing to ask the courts to lift a stay of proceedings that has halted the Northwest Land Claim for more than 20 years.
The claim, originally filed in 1994 by Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and 34 Métis individuals, has been on hold since December 2005. MN-S says it has now completed the procedural steps required to apply to have the stay lifted and expects to file its application within the next four to six weeks.
If the court grants the request, the claim would move forward against both the federal and Saskatchewan governments. The claim alleges the historic Métis scrip system, introduced in the 1870s, was used to dispossess Métis people of their land rights.
Former MN-S president Gerald Morin, one of the original plaintiffs, said the case is central to the Métis struggle for recognition and fairness.
“Our displaced ancestors… were handed an empty promise known as ‘scrip.’ The issue remains outstanding today,” Morin said. “Today, we’ll see Saskatchewan and Canada in court.”
MN-S President Glen McCallum said the claim is especially significant for Métis communities in northwest Saskatchewan.
“This claim is about recognition, fairness, and ensuring decisions about our lands are no longer made without us,” McCallum said. “It is about respecting our rights and securing a future where our people can thrive on our own lands.”
According to background information released by MN-S, the claim covers approximately 120,000 square kilometres of land in northwest Saskatchewan and Alberta. The organization says it has now served notices of intention to proceed and is preparing to file its application to lift the stay in the coming weeks.