Becoming Métis in Northern Alberta

In recent years, much has been written about the Métis 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 Métis in the Northwest. This book challenges the prevailing discourse about “Métis-ness” by considering the circumstances of the northern Métis, many of whom white Canadians thought seemed little different from “Indians,” or First Nations, until government policies made a distinction between Métis and First Nations peoples to deal with them separately and on different terms. In so doing, it draws upon literature related to ethnogenesis, a topic often overlooked by those writing about the development of Métis identities.

In addition, Becoming Métis in Northern Alberta examines the evolution of legal distinctions between First Nations and Métis—the “dual paradigms” model operative today. It shows how the dominant discourse about “the Métis” has informed legislation and policy vis-à-vis Métis 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 Métis, notably those in northeastern Alberta.

About the Author

Patricia A. McCormack studied the histories and cultures of the western Subarctic and northwestern Plains from the earliest days of contact with Europeans to the present day. She worked for First Nations and Métis organizations in legal cases and environmental impact hearings and was considered an expert on the Alberta treaties. After retiring from the Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta, in 2012, she continued to publish and operate Native Bridges Consulting. Her most recent projects were ethnohistories of northern Indigenous dogs and northern bison.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). It may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, provided that the original author is credited.