Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Dec. 9th, 2024

[Garrett Tomlinson, Senior Director, Self Government, Métis Nation of Alberta]

Within the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, within our citizenship act, community acceptance is defined by virtue of a citizen going through the steps to register and proving their ancestry and their identity. Upon being issued their Métis citizenship ID and the number that goes along with it, that is our view of community acceptance.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Is there any way of verifying whether they've been accepted by a community? Can someone just check a box and say, “I've been accepted by this community”?

How do you verify that a person has actually been accepted by the community that they say they've been accepted by?

[Garrett Tomlinson]

For the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, that is the test to say that they've been verified by the community. The community is the entirety of the Métis nation within Alberta. Going through that process and submitting to the registry process that's laid out, and meeting those tests and those standards that are agreed upon by the entirety of the Métis Nation within Alberta, is the community acceptance.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Can you give us a few examples of what standards one would look at in saying, “This person is a part of my community, and this person isn't”?

[Garrett Tomlinson]

Sure.

Within our registry process, as you've said, there's the self-identification element. They must submit their birth records, as well as a family tree. They must submit also, if it's not already on file or on record, the original source documents that show that they are connected to the historical Métis Nation, whether those be scrip certificates, death records or marriage records that show that they do connect to the community.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

I would say that's it's kind of a subjective test when you say, “This person is part of the community. They've gone to our events. They typically participate in our community.” It wouldn't be just the one checklist identifying the factors of community acceptance. Am I correct?

[Garrett Tomlinson]

Andrea, do you want me to answer that?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

I.... Yes.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

I know it's a tough question. It's never been dealt with by the courts. I know the Daniels case didn't figure out what that was. I'm asking these tough questions because the Conservatives seem to think this is an easy thing to follow.

I'll move on to ancestry instead of community acceptance.

Is there a cut-off threshold? For a status Indian like me, there is a two-generation cut-off. Is there an ancestry cut-off for Métis, or can you have ancestry in perpetuity and still be on that list?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

There is not a cut-off.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Okay. There is no threshold of identity that would say, “You're just too far down the line from the original Métis.” Is that correct?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

That is correct.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Okay.

We've heard from AFN and first nations communities that say, “How come one indigenous group gets a two-generation cut-off while the other gets to have their membership in perpetuity?”

I agree that there shouldn't be a cut-off, for the record.

What are your thoughts on that?

I'm sorry. I know these are complex questions, President. I'm just trying to show the complexities to my colleagues on the other side, who don't seem to understand this.

Also, I have this last question: Do you represent all Métis in Alberta, or are there different groups or factions that deal with their own things?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

We represent citizens of the Métis Nation within Alberta. We're the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. As I said earlier, we represent over 70,000 verified, registered citizens.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

However, those are not the Métis settlements of Alberta. Is that correct?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

No, we don't represent them. They are governed under their own body.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Would you say the reasons for that are simple, or would you say it's a complex thing?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

It's a complex thing.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Battiste.

Mr. Lemire, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

I would first like a clarification. Are you still operating as the Métis Nation of Alberta?

[Andrea Sandmaier]

We are the Otipemisiwak Métis Government within the Métis Nation of Alberta, also known formally as the Métis nation of Alberta.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I was asking because it says on the notice of meeting that you represent the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Out of curiosity, I'd like to know why you changed the name of your organization.

[Andrea Sandmaier]

In 2022, we ratified our constitution. It is the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Constitution. In 2023, at our election, that constitution came into force, and our government is called the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Is your organization active within the Métis National Council?

Do you consider the Métis National Council to be an indigenous rights-holder?