What was the Métis scrip system?
In 1870, the Canadian government devised a system of scrip — referred to as Métis (or “half-breed”) scrip — that issued documents redeemable for land or money. Scrip was given to Métis people living in the West in exchange for their land rights.
How do I find Métis scrip?
How to Locate Métis Scrip Records in Collection Search
- Go to Collection Search and select Advanced search.
- In the “All these words” search field, enter “scrip” (without quotation marks) plus the name of the applicant, e.g. scrip Sara Goulet.
- Select “Collections and Fonds” from the Database menu.
What events led to the use of scrip?
The Métis scrip system was implemented after the 1869-70 Red River Resistance. In the aftermath of the resistance, the Canadian government created Manitoba under the Manitoba Act, which set aside 1.4 million acres of land for the children of Métis families.
What does land scrip mean?
: a certificate entitling the holder to obtain a certain portion of the public land either by entry or the payment of a portion of the price.
How did the Metis make money?
Dried buffalo meat mixed with fat and wild berries known as pemmican became a valuable commodity sold by First Nations and Métis Peoples to the fur trade companies 6. Through this process, the province of Manitoba was created and land was promised to the Métis based on a system of Scrip land and money coupons.
What nationality is Metis?
Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The use of the term Métis is complex and contentious, and has different historical and contemporary meanings.
Are there Métis in Quebec?
Perhaps one explanation is the proliferation of self-declared Eastern Métis groups; in Quebec alone, thousands of people are ‘registered’ to groups representing “Eastern Métis,” “Quebec Métis,” “Acadian-Métis,” or “Acadian-Mi’kmaq.”
How did the Métis make money?
Do Métis get land?
The Metis Settlements General Council (MSGC) holds the ‘fee simple’ interest on all Metis Settlement lands, which means they have full ownership of land with certain limited rights of the Crown.
What religion is Métis?
Traditionally, the Métis were very spiritual: most practiced a folk Catholicism that was rooted in veneration of the Virgin and based on pilgrimages such as those to St. Laurent de Grandin (near present-day Duck Lake).
How to find scrip-Metis Scrip Records?
To find scrip records relating to any Métis claim post-dating the first Manitoba commission, researchers should probably first refer to the delivery registers. These registers provide an alphabetical index to a claimant’s complete scrip record. They record the document number for any record which may be filed under a numerical system.
What kind of document does the Metis use?
Negotiations between various levels of government and the Métis Nation concerning the reclamation of land rights continue. Scrip is any document used in place of legal tender, for example a certificate or voucher, where the bearer is entitled to certain rights.
Why was money scrip important to the Metis?
This was particularly true of money scrip, which was not registered in the name of the Métis claimant, but was simply made out “to the Bearer”. Without some form of registration, money scrip could be used by anyone – both Métis and non-Métis alike – in their acquisition of western lands, and consequently, it was actively sought by land speculators.
Where can I find Scrip Records in Canada?
The first, “Register of Grants to Half-breed Children under 33 Vic., Chapt. 3,” which is now retained by Library and Archives Canada in RG15, series D II 8m, volumes 1478 and 1511, gives a complete listing to all Métis claimants under section 31 of the Manitoba Act.