Qalipu Mi'kmaw identity debate leaves those impacted looking for self-determined solutions

The author of a new book on Mi'kmaq in Newfoundland says the ambiguity of some Mi'kmaw identity claims in the province are casting doubt on those with legitimate claims.

"What is happening is that we're all tarred with the same brush," said White, 80, from Flat Bay/No'kmaq Village.

"We have to do something about it. We can't let this continue."

His book, One Man's Journey: The Mi'kmaw Revival in Ktaqmkuk, chronicles his involvement in the fight to have Mi'kmaq recognized in Newfoundland. White said he travelled the province and spoke to many Mi'kmaw families, documenting their stories.

The book spans from 1949, when the province joined Confederation without recognizing the Mi'kmaw communities under the Indian Act, to the formation of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) in 1972 and its accomplishments beyond.

FNI launched legal action and it took about 20 years of negotiations between Canada and FNI to find a resolution. Qalipu First Nation gained formal recognition in 2011, and an enrolment process was established. It was estimated that 10,000 people would apply for membership but nearly 104,000 people applied from across the country.

Points system 'a fiasco'

A Supplemental Agreement between Canada and FNI followed to give the committee responsible for managing enrolment "greater precision on the nature of the evidence that applicants shall provide."

It developed a points system for applicants who did not reside within the approved Mi'kmaq communities. Points were awarded based on things like membership in a Mi'kmaw organization and maintenance of Mi'kmaw culture.

White says the registration process was flawed.

"I'm not in any position to be able to point fingers and say who's Indian and who's not Indian, but I'm very, very concerned over what I consider to be a fiasco with regard to the registration process," he said.

"It was far from due diligence."

White said initially through the point registry process, three of his six children were denied status, while the others got it. He said similar situations caused a lot of confusion for families in Newfoundland. Brendan Mitchell, chief of Qalipu First Nation, could not be reached for comment about White's role or criticisms of the points system for this story.

The supplementary agreement has been challenged in court and last month Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court Justice Valerie Marshall ruled the federal government likely pressured the FNI to change its enrolment process after the larger-than-expected number of applications for membership to Qalipu First Nation.

White said he would like to see the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, the traditional government of Mi'kma'ki (Mi'kmaw territory), empowered to handle citizenship because the point system is so different from what he was taught about who belongs in Mi'kmaw culture, which is tied to connection to family and community.

"[Enrolment] was done in such a shady way that we've lost a lot of credibility and respect from our brother and sister nations across the country," said White.

Felix AtencioGonzales, who has lived in Listuguj Mi'gmaq Nation in Quebec for over 20 years, is Quechua from the village of Rancas, near Cerro de Pasco in the Peruvian Andes. He said his nation doesn't offer status cards or benefits the only way a person "belongs" is being born to the land and community.

"It's simple you are born in one place, you belong to that place, you belong to that family and that family belongs to that community," said Atencio-Gonzales.

Atencio-Gonzales said despite living with the Mi'kmaq for over two decades and having a Mi'kmaw daughter, he is still Quechua. Over the same time period he's watched as the number of people claiming Indigenous heritage in Canada has skyrocketed.

He said in Peru the opposite is happening his people are still so oppressed many try to hide their Quechua identity and would rather acknowledge their one drop of white blood than self-identify as Indigenous.

Things like health benefits or education benefits are one reason Atencio-Gonzales says people may be leaning into family myths or claims to Indigenous identity here. While he doesn't have an answer for how to address that, he too would like to see the Mi'kmaq empowered to run their own citizenship.

Family connections

We'koqma'q Keptin Phillip Prosper, a member of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, says the grand council still views itself as spiritual leaders of the nation. He said the council may not have the capacity to determine citizenship now, but they have years of knowledge of Mi'kmaw families and communities.

He said it's essential for those making identity claims to make connections with their people. Prosper said when the Conne River community in Newfoundland, now known as Miawpukek First Nation, was first recognized by the Canadian government in 1987, Mi'kmaq were relieved because many people from Conne River had connections with Mi'kmaw communities in Cape Breton.

"When the government stepped in and said OK, these are the people who are a member of the Conne River First Nation and a legal First Nation, there was no dispute, right. It was like, 'Oh finally,'" said Prosper.

He said the Mi'kmaq and other First Nations should determine membership and not the federal government.