The Enrolment Committee has completed its review of all 101,000 applications. A letter regarding the Enrolment Committee’s decision on your file and next steps will be mailed on January 31, 2017. You should expect to receive this letter in the mail within the first ten days of February.
For a comprehensive list of Questions and Answers regarding the upcoming conclusion of the Qalipu enrolment process, please click here
Corner Brook, January 3, 2017—Approximately 25 demonstrators gathered outside the Qalipu administrative office in Corner Brook today to raise concerns related to the upcoming conclusion of the Qalipu enrolment process. At the end of January, some 101,000 letters will be mailed to Qalipu members, and those seeking membership, advising them of the Enrolment Committee’s decision on their application to become members of the Qalipu First Nation. This marks the end the Bands registration process that began in 2008 when the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) partnered in signing the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq Band.
The primary concern expressed by the demonstrators gathered at the gazebo on the Majestic Lawn before walking to MP Gudie Hutchings’ office, was that many people will not be found eligible for Founding Membership in the Band following their assessment under the enrolment criteria. Some expressed the concern that their ancestry alone should be enough to qualify for membership in the First Nation. Organizer and Qalipu member Blain Ford argued that the process should be thrown out, and the fight for recognition be taken up anew.
Chief Mitchell, who stood in solidarity with the demonstrators along with Corner Brook Ward Councilor Brian Dicks, said that while he is sympathetic to the concerns of applicants, walking away from the table or starting over would not be in the best interest of the First Nation. He said, “I’m concerned about jeopardizing the decades of effort and persistence which allowed us to form the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation. After an incredible investment of time and resources, it would be unreasonable to walk away and expect that Canada would be willing to sit with us again any time soon on a new enrolment process.”
He also expressed concern over the risk of losing or suspending the many programs and benefits available to those who gain membership in Qalipu First Nation.
In a related statement, Chief Mitchell commented, “When I was elected in 2015, I inherited this process. The legal agreements setting out how Founding Membership in the Qalipu First Nation was to be determined had already been established. I might have negotiated things differently had I been in a leadership position at the time that agreements were made. However, this is the legal agreement that created our First Nation and I have an obligation, as difficult as the outcome will be for many, to act in the best interest of our First Nation to see the enrolment process through as it had been previously negotiated.”
For more information on the Qalipu enrolment process please see the below fact sheet. An updated series of Questions and related answers regarding the end of the Qalipu enrolment process has been added to the Band’s website. Find these at qalipu.ca/band-registration/faq
Fact Sheet
In 2008 the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) partnered in signing the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq Band. In September of 2011, Qalipu received recognition as a First Nation under the Indian Act. This was the culmination of decades of fighting for recognition as the Federation of Newfoundland Indians. Negotiations had not accounted for the number of people who would eventually come forward laying claim to Mi’kmaq heritage. In the final days allotted for review of applications under the Agreement in Principle (Agreement), tens of thousands of additional applications were received bringing the total to over 100,000 individuals seeking membership in the First Nation. Leadership at the time, which consisted of INAC and the FNI, realized the need to negotiate an extension to the Agreement, as well as giving more guidance to the Enrolment Committee on applying enrolment criteria as presented in the Agreement.
In July, 2013, the Supplemental Agreement and its associated Directives to the Enrolment Committee, was introduced by INAC and the FNI. The Supplemental Agreement outlined that all outstanding applications would be reviewed, including those that had already been assessed. To ensure everyone was assessed with the same criteria, even those who had received status cards were reviewed under the criteria laid out in the Supplemental Agreement.
At the end of January, 2017, approximately 101,000 letters will be mailed to Qalipu members, and those seeking membership, advising them of the decision on their application. These letters are expected to be received within the first ten days in February. For those with a right to appeal the decision of the Enrolment Committee, there will be forty-five days to file such an appeal. The Appeal Notice Form will be included in the letters sent out. An independent team of Appeal Masters will review all appeals submitted and a final determination will be made on the appeal. The appeal process will be completed in its entirety by the fall of 2017. The decisions of the Appeal Masters will be final.
Excerpt from the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada website regarding the recent update to the Qalipu Enrolment process
“Applications determined to be invalid: In April 2016, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) announced:
If you have applied for membership and your address has changed since September 2011, please update your contact information.”
Click here to read more of this information Bulletin which addresses any questions you may have.
For assistance from Qalipu, please contact:
Charmaine Bath (Glenwood Office)
(709) 679-2142
Toll free 1-855-263-6440
Nancy O’Connell (Corner Brook Office)
(709) 634-4010
1-855-634-8611
April 13, 2016 – Ottawa, ON – Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and Brendan Mitchell, Chief of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation, provided an update on the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Enrolment Process.
In March, Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) announced they will give individuals the opportunity to correct and provide additional documentation in support of their application for review by the Enrolment Committee.
This decision is a result of collaborative efforts between Canada and the FNI to give a broad application to the Foster and Howse court decisions and provide applicants a fair opportunity to demonstrate they should be founding members of the First Nation.
March 18, 2016 Ottawa, ON Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
(Published March 18, 2016)
The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and Brendan Mitchell, Chief of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation, today provided an update on the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation enrolment process.
Get the full story here
Click here to read release
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND FEDERATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND INDIANS ANNOUNCE ACCELERATED PROCESS TO ADDRESS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS FOR QALIPU MI’KMAQ FIRST NATION BAND
Ottawa, Ontario (February 1, 2010) – The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and NonStatus Indians, and Brendan Sheppard, President of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI), today announced an accelerated process for updating the membership list for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band to be established in early 2010 for the Mi’kmaq of Newfoundland.
“Our government’s work with the Federation of Newfoundland Indians is a demonstration of what can be accomplished when two parties work together to find a solution,” said Minister Strahl. “This accelerated process will ensure that eligible members of the Mi’kmaq of Newfoundland become members of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band as quickly as possible.”
Today’s announcement ensures the creation of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band will not be delayed and provides for the amendment of the membership list every four months after the Band is established, until the backlog of applications has been addressed. The date of the first Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band election will also be extended to permit those added to the Band list under this process the opportunity to run for office and vote in the first election.
“I am pleased with the solution reached by both parties to address the overwhelming response to the registration process for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band,” said Brendan Sheppard, President of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians. “The number of applications received by the Enrolment Committee reflects the tremendous interest in the formation of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. This arrangement should provide comfort to those who filed completed applications by November 30, 2009 in that they will not have to wait long to be added to the Band list once they are approved for membership.”
November 30, 2009 marked the conclusion of the first stage of the enrolment process held under the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. This historic process received overwhelming support and the uptake among the Mi’kmaq population was significantly higher than expected. As of November 30, 2009, nearly 26,000 applications had been received and approximately 11,000 had been approved for the initial members list by the Enrolment Committee, chaired by Mr. Tom Rideout.
November 30, 2009 marks the conclusion of the first stage of the enrolment process held under the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. This historic process has received overwhelming support and the uptake among the Mi’kmaq population is significantly higher than expected. As of November 30, 2009, close to 25,000 applications have been received and approximately 11,000 have been approved by the Enrolment Committee, chaired by Mr. Tom Rideout.
In the coming weeks, the Enrolment Committee will finalize the initial list of members for the establishment of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band which will take place in early 2010.
The government and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians will continue to work together to see how the process for updating the membership list can be accelerated.
Inscriptions pour l’appartenance à la bande de la Première
nation Qalipu Mi’kmaq La première étape du processus d’inscription tenu conformément à l’accord pour la reconnaissance de la bande de la Première nation Qalipu Mi’kmaq se termine le 30 novembre 2009. Ce processus historique a reçu un appui impressionnant. La population mi’kmaq ayant répondu avec enthousiasme, le nombre d’inscriptions est beaucoup plus élevé que prévu. Au 30 novembre 2009, près de 25 000 demandes ont été reçues. Le comité d’inscription, présidé par M. Tom Rideout, a confirmé l’inscription d’environ 11 000 membres.
Dans les semaines à venir, le comité d’inscription achèvera la liste préliminaire des membres pour la création de la bande de la Première nation Qalipu Mi’kmaq, qui aura lieu au début de 2010.
Le gouvernement continuera de travailler avec la Fédération des Indiens de Terre-Neuve pour trouver un moyen d’accélérer le processus de mise à jour de la liste des membres.