Métis in Alberta

The Métis Nation within Alberta has a long history of organizing and political participation. Métis in Alberta have stood together and pressed governments to respect our Métis rights and treat our claims fairly since the end of the 19th century.

L’Association des Métis d’Alberta et les Territories du Nord-Ouest was founded in 1928 (the predecessor of 1932’s Métis Association of Alberta (MAA), 1991’s Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA), and today’s Otipemisiwak Métis Government) for the express purpose to lobby the federal government to respect Métis land rights. We have kept with that work ever since.

Through the decades, our singular focus has been: to build a strong Métis Nation embracing Métis rights.

Founding Fathers

Our founding fathers, known as the “Métis Famous Five” were:

Joe Dion, president,
Malcolm Norris, vice president
Felix Callihoo, vice president
Pete Tomkins, vice president, and
James Brady, secretary treasurer

Ewing Commission

Joe Dion, Malcolm Norris, and Adrian Hope, as well as other Métis leaders, successfully lobbied the provincial government, and in 1934, the Ewing Commission was formed to investigate Métis health, education, homelessness, and land issues.

After a two-year investigation, the Commission recommended the province provide Métis with a secure land base and adequate services. In 1938, one of the MAA’s visions came to be when the Alberta government enacted the Métis Betterment Act, leading to the creation of 12 Métis Settlements (today 8), and the first and only secure land base for Métis in all of Canada.

Métis in Alberta

History

The Métis originated in the 1700s when French and Scottish fur traders married Indigenous women, such as the Cree and Anishinaabe (Ojibway).

Learn more

Métis in Alberta

Timeline

Take a journey through the significant milestones, dates, events, and photographs that make up Alberta’s unique Métis history.

Learn more

Métis in Alberta

Otipemisiwak

Otipemisiwak is a magazine published by the Métis Nation of Alberta to celebrate current Métis culture and events in Alberta.

Learn more

Email*
First Name
Last Name
Region
How would you like to receive MNA news and information?*
- Select All
- Email
- Mail
- Social Media
- Text Message
- Phone Call
- Newspaper
- Radio
Consent*
I consent to receive emails from The Métis Nation of Alberta*
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: The Métis Nation of Alberta, 11738 Kingsway Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5G 0X5, Canada, http://albertametis.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.