In British Columbia, roughly 60,000 residents self-identify as M茅tis, according to census information.

Far fewer hold registered citizenship cards with the M茅tis Nation of B.C., a provincial section of the M茅tis National Council.

That number is expected to rise soon, after the Supreme Court that ruled CanadaB次元官网网址檚 estimated 200,000 M茅tis and 400,000 non-status Indians are indeed B次元官网网址淚ndiansB次元官网网址� under the Constitution Act and therefore, fall under federal jurisdiction.

Abbotsford-based M茅tis Nation has issued about 8,000 citizenship cards since it began the process in 2005, including about 500 in Greater Victoria.

In the first week following the January court decision, their office received about 1,400 phone calls and emails from people inquiring about officially registering their heritage.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e mailed out about 500 information packages,B次元官网网址� said Laurel Katernick, director of registry for M茅tis Nation.

The standard of living for M茅tis people in Greater Victoria runs the spectrum, from poverty to relative affluence, not unlike the non-aboriginal community.

The majority donB次元官网网址檛 hunt or fish for sustenance, or try to secure the right to cut and sell timber off Crown lands.

B次元官网网址淚 think (M茅tis) people living here in Victoria are probably around average for the most part,B次元官网网址� said Bruce Dumont, president of M茅tis Nation of B.C. and a resident of Highlands. B次元官网网址淚f you take into account the aggregation, you would see weB次元官网网址檙e average by social standards.B次元官网网址�

At the same time, he said, many M茅tis in B.C. and Canada do not have health care, are under-educated or live in inappropriate housing.

In his judgment, Justice Michael Phelan wrote, B次元官网网址淭he recognition of M茅tis and non-status Indians as Indians under section 91(24) should accord a further level of respect and reconciliation by removing the constitutional uncertainty surrounding these groups.B次元官网网址�

While there has been much speculation over the potential cost of placing 600,000 more people under the responsibility of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, PhelanB次元官网网址檚 judgment did not lay out any specific terms of added financial responsibility.

The federal government currently provides funding for provincial and national organizations representing Metis and non-status Indians and the programs they run, but not for individuals or communities.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a common fear that itB次元官网网址檚 going to cost the government a lot of money,B次元官网网址� Dumont said.

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 way ballooned out of proportion. YouB次元官网网址檙e not going to have to support us, weB次元官网网址檙e very independent.B次元官网网址�

He foresees positive effects flowing from the decision, despite the fact the government is widely expected to appeal the ruling.

B次元官网网址淚 can see the benefits happening a few years down the road, but itB次元官网网址檚 premature to say. We waited this long, we can wait a couple more years. IB次元官网网址檓 excited for the whole thing and excited for our people.B次元官网网址�

The significance of the ruling to him is in the potential for negotiating a more defined right to hunt and fish for sustenance B次元官网网址� similar to rights outlined in First Nations treaties B次元官网网址� and enhancing educational opportunities.

Paul Lacerte, executive director of the B.C. Association of Native Friendship Centres in Victoria, sees PhelanB次元官网网址檚 lack of direction to the federal government in his decision as rather favourable to the aboriginal community, since it opens the door for negotiations on a range of issues.

The timing of the decision alongside the Idle No More movement, which aims to halt what it calls B次元官网网址渢he erosion of treaty and indigenous rights,B次元官网网址� is a sign that the playing field and the role of aboriginal people in Canada are starting to be redefined, Lacerte said.

B次元官网网址淢y hope is that all of this leads to poverty reduction and strength building,B次元官网网址� he said.

People comprising the two aboriginal groups are frequently caught in a kind of jurisdictional no-manB次元官网网址檚 land, with the provinces and the federal government deferring responsibility to the other in terms of program delivery.

While the implications, financial or otherwise, of PhelanB次元官网网址檚 judgment may not be known for some time, Dumont appreciates the fact that M茅tis and non-status Indian people have achieved at least this level of recognition.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a huge step forward,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of excitement generated for finally being recognized.B次元官网网址�

editor@vicnews.com

Who is aboriginal?

B次元官网网址� The Constitution Act of 1982 defines aboriginal peoples as B次元官网网址渋ncluding the Indian, Inuit and M茅tis peoples of Canada.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada defines the term B次元官网网址淚ndianB次元官网网址� as an individual or groups in one of those three categories. It also states, B次元官网网址淚ndians in Canada are often referred to as: Status Indians, non-Status Indians and Treaty Indians.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� M茅tis peoples are individuals with mixed aboriginal and European heritage who can trace their familial routes back to original M茅tis settlements in Central Canada, primarily in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.