Becoming Mtis in Northern Alberta

In recent years, much has been written about the Mtis of southern Canada, those at Red River and the historic buffalo hunters of the Plains. Whether implicitly or explicitly, these groups have come to define the identity and culture of all Mtis in the Northwest. This book challenges the prevailing discourse about Mtis-ness by considering the circumstances of northern Mtis, many of whom who seemed little different from Indians, or First Nations, until the imposition of government policies related to treaties versus Half-breed scrip. In so doing, it draws upon literature related to ethnogenesis, a topic often overlooked by those writing about the development of Mtis identities. In addition, Becoming Mtis in Northeastern Alberta examines the evolution of legal distinctions between First Nations and Mtisthe dual paradigms model operative today. It shows how the dominant discourse about the Mtis has informed legislation and policy vis- -vis Mtis communities, with a special focus on Alberta. It also reviews a series of key pieces of legislation (federal and provincial) and judicial decisions that have had an impact on the situation of northern Mtis, notably those in northeastern Alberta.