The forgotten people : Métis and non-status Indian land claims

Summary: In western Canada, the research into Métis claims has been going on for many years. But in the Maritimes and central Canada, the systematic inquiry into the claims of Métis and non-status Indians is of recent origin. Consequently, the material in this compilation is uneven in content and any conclusions drawn by the contributors are tenuous at best. All of the articles and essays contained in this selection appeared in the Native council's newspaper, "forgotten people", during the past year. Because of numerous requests for copies of the articles, which, for technical reasons, could not be met, it was decided to produce this compilation and bring the most relevant articles under one cover. In order to present them in book-form, a considerable editing of the original material had to be undertaken and articles revised. The selection has been organized into three main sections. The first offers an overview of the historical and legal questions surrounding claims research. Here, there is a discussion of the need for a history of the development of Canada from the point of view of Métis people. Also, a summary of the legal interpretation of Métis rights in the west is given some detail. In addition, there is a discussion of the claims of non-status Indians based on the definition of Indian. The second presents an overview of the issues involved in the claims research in the Maritimes and central Canada while the third deals with the claims of the Métis in western Canada.