They are one of the three groups of Aboriginal peoples of Canada with their own unique heritage,
language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
"Anyone with any degree of Indian Ancestry who lives the life ordinarilly associated with the Metis."
The Association would later extend its definition to include:
"Anyone who considered himself/herself a Metis, and who was accepted by the community as such"
*A later amendment by the Alberta government in 1940 which stated:
"A person of mixed white and Indian Ancestry having not less than one quarter Indian blood", is not
recognized today as part of the said definition.*
In todays Canadian Courts of law a Metis is defined as a person who:
(a) has some ancestral family connection (not necessarily genetic),
(b) identifies himself or herself as Metis and
(c) is accepted by the Metis Community or a locally organized branch, chapter or organization with
which that person wishes to be associated.
of mixed ancestry has complicated the matter of identity for the Metis.
In 1941, before the "halfbreed" category was deleted from the census, 27,790 had been listed for the three
prarie provinces. Many were reluctant to identify as "halfbreed".
In 1981 when "Metis" was introduced as a census category, 100,000 identified themselves as such across
Canada. However the actual figure is believed to be much higher; as high as 16 percent of the total
population.
Note: At the time of the 1981 census, 60 percent of the Metis people were under 20 years of age.
Nearly 40 percent has less than 8 years of schooling, compared to the 22 percent of the general
population in the same category.
The unemployment rate of the Metis people was 34 percent, which was well in the excess of the
national average.
