Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band
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The Qalipu First Nation (
phon The phon is a logarithmic unit of loudness level for tones and complex sounds. Loudness is measured in sones, a linear unit. Human sensitivity to sound is variable across different frequencies; therefore, although two different tones may pres ...
: /xa.li.bu/, alibu
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
for 'caribou') is a
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
band government In Canada, an Indian band (), First Nation band () or simply band, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the ''Indian Act'' (i.e. status Indians or First Nations). Bands are typically small groups of people: the largest in ...
based on the eastern Canadian island of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
. The landless band was created by
order-in-council An Order in Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom, this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' ...
in 2011, pursuant to the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq Band. Following their approval as a First Nation, around 100,000 people applied for membership, while a total of 23,000 were, ultimately, approved. In 2018, the Qalipu First Nation was accepted as a member of the Canadian Assembly of First Nations.


History prior to recognition


Pre-contact

Prior to the time of European contact, the Mi'kmaq people inhabited Miꞌkmaꞌki, their vast territories which encompassed much of modern-day
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
and
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
, as well as portions of northeastern
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
and
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
's
Gaspé Peninsula The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia (, ; ), is a peninsula along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River that extends from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is separated from New Brunswick on it ...
. By the
17th century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCI), to December 31, 1700 (MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized ...
, the Mi'kmaq would often visit the island they called Taqamkuk (present-day Newfoundland) by crossing the
Cabot Strait Cabot Strait (; , ) is in Atlantic Canada between Cape Ray, Newfoundland, and Cape North, Cape Breton Island. The strait, approximately 110 kilometres wide, is the widest of the three outlets for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence into the Atlant ...
in shallops that they adopted from European fur traders."The History of the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq"
Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998
They visited the island and hunted along its south coast, going as far east as
Placentia Bay Placentia Bay () is a body of water on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada. It is formed by Burin Peninsula on the west and Avalon Peninsula on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people long before the first Europ ...
, before returning to Unamaki. Gradually, Taqamkuk became one of their "domain of islands". Some Mi'kmaq individuals have stated that, in addition to those traveling to the island to hunt, a group of their people had already lived on the island for hundreds of years. The island's historical populace, the
Beothuk The Beothuk ( or ; also spelled Beothuck) were a group of Indigenous peoples in Canada, Indigenous people of Canada who lived on the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland. The Beothuk culture formed around 1500 CE. This may have been ...
, are thought to have died out in the early 1800s. Shanawdithit was the last full-blooded, known living member of the Beothuk people; she eventually died with no known living descendants.


Permanent settlement in Newfoundland

During Canada's 18th-century colonial period, French and British forces warred for rights to North American land claims. The Mi'kmaq, and several other First Nations, became closely allied with
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, with whom they frequently traded furs and other goods and necessities. Together, they raided British colonial settlements in
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
, as well as the Atlantic regions of what would become Canada. In 1763, after France was defeated by Britain in the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
, the country ceded all land east of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, including the Mi'kmaq long-held traditional land. After this, numerous British colonists entered the territories and tried to settle. Newfoundland, however, was still sparsely populated, and most Europeans lived on the eastern portion of the island, in small and isolated coastal fishing settlements. The Mi'kmaq living on the island were, essentially, able to continue their traditional way of life on the island's west coast and within the interior. After the Beothuk people disappeared in the 1800s, the Mi'kmaq no longer shared Newfoundland's interior with another people. In 1857, a colonial census of Newfoundland recorded Mi'kmaq settlements at St. George's Bay, Codroy Valley,
Bay d'Espoir Bay d'Espoir ( ) is an arm of Hermitage Bay in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, located on the south coast of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland. Communities in Bay d'Espoir include: Milltown-Head of Bay d'Espoir, Morrisville, St. Alban's, Newfoundlan ...
and the Bay of Exploits. The English and other Europeans had little knowledge of the interior and relied on the Mi'kmaq for support. In 1822, explorer William Cormack traversed the island's interior from Trinity Bay to St. George's Bay, guided by a Mi'kmaw man named Sylvester Joe. In the 1860s, the British hired a group of Mi'kmaq men for overland postal delivery via a network of trails to reach the northern communities.


Decline

In 1898, a railway was constructed across the island, giving Europeans greater access to Newfoundland's interior. Numerous settlers thus arrived to hunt the
caribou The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...
and
moose The moose (: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is also the tal ...
, in addition to other animals, causing a sharp decline in local wildlife populations. The caribou, for example, had served as one of the main sources of food and supplies for the Mi'kmaq, and their decline adversely affected the survival of the people. Starting in the 1920s, global fur prices began to decline as the demand for fur dropped, resulting in some Mi'kmaq quitting
trapping Animal trapping, or simply trapping or ginning, is the use of a device to remotely catch and often kill an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including for meat, fur trade, fur/feathers, sport hunting, pest control, and w ...
to work for Europeans as loggers.


Drive for recognition

In 1972, activists formed the Native Association of Newfoundland and Labrador as the main organization representing the Mi'kmaq,
Innu The Innu/Ilnu ('man, person'), formerly called Montagnais (French for ' mountain people'; ), are the Indigenous Canadians who inhabit northeastern Labrador in present-day Newfoundland and Labrador and some portions of Quebec. They refer to ...
and
Inuit Inuit (singular: Inuk) are a group of culturally and historically similar Indigenous peoples traditionally inhabiting the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Russia, including Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwe ...
peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador. After the Labrador Innu and Inuit left the Association in 1975, the organization was renamed as the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI). The FNI included six Mi'kmaq bands: the Benoits Cove Band, the
Corner Brook Corner Brook ( 2021 population: 19,316 CA 29,762) is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Corner Brook is the fifth largest settlement in Newfoundland and Labrado ...
Indian Band, the Flat Bay Indian Band, the Gander Bay Indian Band, the Glenwood Mi'kmaq First Nation and the Port au Port Indian Band. The provincial government supported the FNI. The federal government approved only the petition for recognition made by the Mi'kmaq at Conne River. In 1987, the Miawpukek Mi'kmaq First Nation was recognized under the Indian Act, and their community of
Conne River Miawpukek First Nation is a Mi'kmaq First Nations band government in Conne River, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, with a registered population of 836 living on-reserve as of May 2023, with another 2,265 living off-reserve. They control the ...
was classified as reserved land for the Mi'kmaq. Recognition for the remainder of Newfoundland's Mi'kmaq was a much longer process; the group's attempts to obtain status under the Indian Act were fruitless, and led to a Federal Court action in 1989, in which the FNI sought a declaration that its members were Indians within the meaning of the 1867 Constitution Act. Minister David Crombie was willing to work with the FNI and the government of Newfoundland, but the provincial government considered it to be a federal matter. In 2003, Minister Andy Scott was presented with a report that recommended a First Nations band without any reserved land to represent the Mi'kmaq of Newfoundland. An Agreement-in-principle was reached in 2006, which the FNI accepted in 2007. The federal government ratified it in 2008.


Membership

The Government of Canada had expected band membership to be similar to the membership of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, around 5,000 people. Instead, around 105,000 people, or the equivalent of one-fifth of the population of Newfoundland, applied to become band members. After the first round of enrollment, 23,000 of 30,000 applicants were accepted. Although not yet functional, the band became the second largest by membership in Canada. This put the enrolment process to a halt and a supplemental agreement between the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and Canada was formed in 2013. The rest of the outstanding applications were put in indefinite storage. In 2013 applicants organized a new group, the Mi’kmaq First Nations Assembly of Newfoundland to lobby to continue the enrollment process. They began to prepare for a legal action regarding the enrollment process should lobbying fail. In 2014, parliament passed Bill C-25, authorizing it to review all applications and retroactively reject some, based on criteria similar to those used in the R v Powley case that defined rights for the
Métis people The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They hav ...
. The 2013 agreement tightened rules and criteria thus leaving 80,000+ applicants rejected in its wake. In 2017, only 18,044 were eligible for membership. In 2018, the Qalipu First Nation announced that the updated Founding Members List for the Band was adopted by way of an Order in Council which came into effect on June 25, 2018. The 2018 Band list included 18,575 members. By 2021, nearly 24,000 people were recognized as founding members, in 67 Newfoundland communities and abroad.


Questions of legitimacy

In 2013, Chiefs Terrance Paul and Gerard Julian, co-chairs of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Chiefs, sent a joint letter to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. They presented their concerns regarding the legitimacy of the Qalipu band, and asked for further clarification and explanation by the federal government. They disputed the authority of the federal government to determine who qualifies as Mi’kmaq. They said that, while the government of Canada may have jurisdiction over who is an Indian, they do not have the
constitutional right A constitutional right can be a prerogative or a duty, a power or a restraint of power, recognized and established by a sovereign state or union of states. Constitutional rights may be expressly stipulated in a national constitution, or they may ...
to determine who is a Mi’kmaq. Later in 2013, the Mi’kmaq Grand Council, the traditional government of the Mi'kmaq people, issued a statement to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
denouncing the Qalipu band as illegitimate. The letter stated, "These new Qalipu members we simply do not know and do not recognize as Mi’kmaq." The Mi'kmaq Rights Initiative assert that the Qalipu were created as an entity by the federal government, and they do not consider them as part of the broader Mi'kmaq nation. The Friends of Qalipu Advocacy Association is currently taking Qalipu First Nation (and its precursor) to court over the enrolment process.


Governance

A band council is elected under the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Custom Election Rules, which were a part of the agreement with the Canadian government. Changes to the Custom Election Rules can be made only after a referendum voted on by the whole band membership. In 2021, a referendum passed changing terms of office to four years starting in 2024.


Council

Members of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation elect a Chief (currently Jenny Brake), two Vice Chiefs, and councillors representing a total of nine wards.


Wards and councillors

Shown below are the electoral districts and the results from the 2021 election.


References

{{authority control First Nations in Newfoundland and Labrador First Nations governments in Atlantic Canada 2011 establishments in Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador