The Métis (pronounced "MAY tee", IPA: ['mejti], in French: [me'tis] or [mɛ'tɪs]) are one of three recognized Canadian aboriginal groups whose homeland consists of the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories. The Metis Homeland also consists of parts of the northern United States (ie. North Dakota, and Montana). The Métis Nation are of individuals descended from marriages of Cree, Ojibway and Saulteaux women to French Canadian and British settlers. Their history dates to the mid-seventeenth century. Traditionally, the Métis spoke a mixed language called Michif or Mechif. Mechif is a phonetic spelling of the Métis pronunciation of Métif, a variant of Métis. The Métis today predominately speak English with French as a strong second language. The encouragement and use of Michif is growing due to outreach within the provincial Metis councils after at least a generation of decline. The International Phonetic Alphabet is a phonetic alphabet used by linguists to accurately and uniquely represent each of the wide variety of sounds (phones or phonemes) the human vocal apparatus can produce. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th)  - Land 925,186 km²  - Water 19,549 km² (2. ... Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th)  - Land 642,317 km²  - Water 19,531 km² (2. ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (From many peoples, strength) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Lieutenant Governor Lynda M. Haverstock Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Area 651,036 km² (7th)  - Land 591,670 km²  - Water 59,366 km² (9. ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Glorious and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Area 647,797 km² (8th)  - Land 553,556 km²  - Water 64,241 km² (14. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... A former territory in the United States is called Northwest Territory. ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven Official languages English Area 183 272 km² (19th)  - Land 178 839 km²  - Water 4 432 km² (2. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer Official languages English Area 381,156 km² (4th)  - Land 377,295 km²  - Water 3,862 km² (1%) Population (2000)  - Population 926,865 (44th)  - Density 2. ... Cree camp near Vermilion, Alberta The Cree form an aboriginal nation of North America. ... One Called From A Distance (Midwewinind) of the White Earth Band, 1894 The Ojibwa or Chippewa (also Ojibwe, Ojibway, Chippeway) are the third-largest group of Native Americans in the United States, surpassed only by Cherokee and Navajo. ... The Saulteaux First Nation of western Canada is a branch of the Ojibwa, Ojibway, or Chippewa people. ... French Canadian is a term that has several different connotations. ... Michif is the indigenous language of the Métis people of Canada. ...

The word Métis (the singular, plural and adjectival forms are the same) is French, and related to the Spanish word mestizo. It carries the same connotation of "mixed blood"; traced back far enough it stems from the Latin word mixtus, the past participle of the verb "to mix". For the Métis people of Canada, see Métis people (Canada). ... Mestizo (Portuguese, Mestiço; Canadian French, Métis: from Late Latin mixtcius, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscere, to mix) is a term of Spanish origin used to designate the peoples of mixed European and Amerindian racial strain inhabiting the region spanning the Americas, from the Canadian prairies in the north... Latin is the language that was originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

The name, in Canada, is constitutionally applied to descendants of communities in what is now southern Manitoba along the Red River Valley and Winnipeg. The name has also been applied to the descendants of similar communities in what are now Quebec and Labrador, although these groups' histories are different from that of the western Métis. Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Glorious and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Area 647,797 km² (8th)  - Land 553,556 km²  - Water 64,241 km² (14. ... Motto: Unum Cum Virtute Multorum (One With the Strength of Many) Area: 465. ... ... This article is about the region in Canada. ...

The Métis National Council defines a person as Métis if they meet the following criteria: The Métis National Council is the national representative of the Métis people in Canada. ...

• self-identifies as Métis
• of historic Métis Nation Ancestry
• is distinct from other Aboriginal Peoples
• is accepted by the Métis Nation.

Much like the Canadian Confederation, the Métis Nation is also divided into 5 administrative regions: Metis Nation of Ontario (http://www.example.com), Manitoba Metis Federation (http://www.manitobametisfederation.com), Metis Nation-Saskatchewan (http://www.metisnation-sask.com), Metis Nation of Alberta (http://www.metis.org/MNAHome.aspx), and the Metis Provincial Council of British Columbia (http://www.mpcbc.bc.ca). The Métis National Council (http://www.metisnation.ca/index.html) represents the Nation's larger interests with the Government of Canada and internationally.

Estimates of the number of Métis vary from 300,000 to 700,000 or more. According to this Statistics Canada (http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/abor/groups2.cfm) reportage, the number of those who self-indentify as Metis in 2001 was 292,310 throughout Canada. The Province of Alberta has the largest population of Metis (66,055), closely followed by Manitoba (56,795) and Ontario (48,345) respectively.

The Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 recognizes the Métis as being Aboriginal peoples. This has enabled individual Métis to sue successfully for recognition of their traditional rights, such as rights to hunt and trap. In 2003, a court ruling[1] (http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/19/metisrule030919) in Ontario found that an Ontario Métis community has the aboriginal right to hunt for food, a decision seen as a first step toward granting full hunting rights to the community. This right was given to the entire Nation as a whole a short time later as respective provincial governments came into compliance with this ruling through negotiation with the Métis provincial governments. On May 31, 2005 (http://www.metisnation.org/news/MNCfinal_legal_1.pdf), the Government of Canada and the Metis National Council signed a framework agreement to pave the way for self-government for the Metis in the homeland and illustrating a deeper development of the relationship between the Métis and Canada outside of the judicial system. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada. ... Aboriginal peoples in Canada is a collective name for the original inhabitants of the region of North America that is now Canada, and their descendants. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ...

Prominent Métis

The most famous Métis was Louis Riel who led what are usually depicted as two rebellions, the Red River Rebellion in 1869 in the area now known as Manitoba, and the North-West Rebellion in 1885 in the area now known as Saskatchewan. Reasonable doubts may be raised about whether either of these events was a rebellion. For example, the actions considered rebellious in 1869 were undertaken by Riel as the leader of a government recognized by Canada as in legitimate control of territory that did not belong to Canada; Canada negotiated the Manitoba Act with this government. After these "rebellions”, land speculators and other non-Métis effectively deprived the Métis of land by exploiting a government program for its purchase, with the government perhaps turning a blind eye. The province of Alberta distributed land to Métis in 1938 to correct what it believed to be an inequity, but Saskatchewan and Manitoba have not followed Alberta's lead. Louis Riel Louis David Riel (October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885), was a Canadian politician and leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. ... The Métis provisional government The Red River Rebellion of 1869 – 1870 is the term most often used to describe the actions of a provisional government established by Métis leader Louis Riel in 1869 at the Red River Settlement in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba. ... 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Glorious and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Area 647,797 km² (8th)  - Land 553,556 km²  - Water 64,241 km² (14. ... The Battle of Batoche begins The North-West Rebellion (or North-West Resistance or the Saskatchewan Rebellion) of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful attempt by the Métis people of Saskatchewan to establish their own sovereign nation independent of the Dominion of Canada. ... 1885 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (From many peoples, strength) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Lieutenant Governor Lynda M. Haverstock Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Area 651,036 km² (7th)  - Land 591,670 km²  - Water 59,366 km² (9. ... Manitoba Act was an Act of the government of Canada given the Royal Assent on May 12, 1870 creating the Province of Manitoba. ... Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th)  - Land 642,317 km²  - Water 19,531 km² (2. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (From many peoples, strength) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Lieutenant Governor Lynda M. Haverstock Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Area 651,036 km² (7th)  - Land 591,670 km²  - Water 59,366 km² (9. ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Glorious and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Area 647,797 km² (8th)  - Land 553,556 km²  - Water 64,241 km² (14. ...

Another known Métis is Sharon Bruneau. Sharon Bruneau (born February 1, 1964) is a Canadian bodybuilder and fitness model. ...

Two other famous Métis leaders were Cuthbert Grant and Gabriel Dumont. Cuthbert Grant (1793 – July 15, 1854) was a prominent Métis leader of the early nineteenth century. ... Gabriel Dumont Gabriel Dumont (December, 1837 – May 19, 1906) was a leader of the Métis people of what is now western Canada. ...

On May 7, 2004, Métis Todd Ducharme was appointed as a judge of the Ontario Supreme Court of Justice. May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... Todd Ducharme is a Canadian judge. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ...

See also

• Manitoba Act
• First Nations of Canada
• List of terms for multiraciality
• Métis National Council
  • Métis Provincial Council of British Columbia
  • Métis Nation of Alberta
  • Métis Nation - Saskatchewan
  • Manitoba Métis Federation
  • Métis Nation of Ontario

Manitoba Act was an Act of the government of Canada given the Royal Assent on May 12, 1870 creating the Province of Manitoba. ... First Nations is a common title used in Canada to describe the various societies of indigenous peoples of North America located in what is now Canada, who are not of Inuit or Métis descent. ... This is a list of terms used worldwide for various types, kinds and degrees of multiracial background. ... The Métis National Council is the national representative of the Métis people in Canada. ... The Métis Nation - Saskatchewan is an organization that represents the approximately 80,000 Métis people in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. ...

External links

• Métis National Council (http://www.metisnation.ca/)