Activity 3 page 2

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The Métis history dates to the early relationships formed between European fur traders and the First Nations. Today, Alberta is home to approximately 65 000 Métis; Canada is home to approximately 300 000 Métis.

Métis are recognized as one of Canada's Aboriginal peoples. As such, their collective rights as Aboriginal peoples are recognized and protected by Canada's constitution. The Métis, however, did not have any historic treaties or land claims to support their cause for recognition at the time when the constitution was written. For the Métis , this means a long history filled with struggle to gain collective rights as an Aboriginal people and a struggle to maintain their collective identity.

Since Confederation, many events have influenced the Métis collective identity. These have included issues dealing with land claims, governance, settlements, and treaties.

land claims: unfinished business between the government and First Nations people, usually based on historic treaty decisions

settlement: an agreement to settle a dispute or disagreement

 Vocabulary

Define land claims and settlement in your Issues for Canadians Definitions.

Do you think these words might reflect a different meaning for Métis than for First Nations?

When you have finished, return your updated handout to your Activities folder.

Read "What laws recognize the collective rights of Métis?" on pages 152 to 158 of your textbook.

In this article, you will examine the historical context of how legislation has recognized Métis rights and how these events have impacted the Métis collective identity and quality of life.

Workbook Summary

In this workbook, you investigated the following questions.

How are Francophone rights respected in communities in Alberta?

How are Francophone rights respected in Quebec?

What are the rights of official language minorities?

How do Canadian laws recognize the Métis?

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes English and French as the official languages of Canada. The collective rights of Francophones and Anglophones ensure that these founding groups have opportunities to maintain their collective identities through education in their respective languages and through the everyday use of their respective languages, even in minority settings.

The federal government and the provincial governments of Canada promote and support the official language minorities within our country and their minority education rights. The languages, cultures, and identities of both Francophones and Anglophones are supported in Canada regardless of where these people live. These cultures are able to co-exist and thrive because of the protection of their collective rights by Canada's constitution and by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Métis identity is unique in that Métis culture was formed from the relationships among First Nations and European explorers and traders. The Métis collective identity has struggled as this people's rights have been challenged in Canada. The affirmation of Métis rights in Canada continues to evolve.

New challenges face all collectives in Canada as the nation continues to grow and change.

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