Source: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/metis/metis-scrip-records/Pages/alberta-assiniboia-saskatchewan-manitoba-commissions.aspx
Timestamp: 2020-02-22 07:37:03
Document Index: 735483558

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 19', 'arts 23', 'art 26', 'arts 1']

Alberta/Assiniboia and Saskatchewan/Manitoba Commissions - Library and Archives Canada
Now that the federal government had ruled that Métis and Indian rights were co-existent and would have to be extinguished concurrently (see Order-in-Council P.C. 918, 6 May, 1899), the Department of the Interior faced a tremendous backlog of claims by Métis residents who were born in the organized territories between 15th July, 1870, and 31st December, 1885. In an effort to ensure a speedy settlement of their claims, the Minister thought it prudent to put together two Commissions - "One for the Districts of Alberta and Assiniboia, and one for the District of Saskatchewan and that portion of territory included in the Province of Manitoba as now [i.e., in 1900] constituted, which was not included in the Province as constituted by the Manitoba Act, 33 Victoria, Chapter 3" (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 2).
The Commissioners were authorized to issue "a certificate for scrip redeemable in land to the extent of two hundred and forty dollars, or, at the option of the grantee, a certificate for scrip entitling the grantee to two hundred and forty acres of land of the class open to homestead entry; to enumerate those to whom such certificates may be issued; to specially report to the minister of the Interior any doubtful claims, for decision; and to report generally to him the result of their investigation; and that, to enable them to properly conduct their investigation, they be authorized to take evidence under oath, to summon before them by subpoena, and to compel the production of papers and writings" (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, pp. 2-3).
The Order-in-Council also gave the Commissioners authority to accept claims from Métis who were residents of the Treaty 8 area, and who may not have been able to present their claims to the Commission of the previous year. Under Order-in-Council, P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, the Commissioners were to be given "the same power to deal with such claims as was conferred upon the Commissions who dealt with Half Breed claims in the territory covered by Treaty 8 last year, and that they be charged with the same duty in connection therewith" (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 3).
As well, the Order-in-Council further entrenched government policy as to who should be considered eligible for scrip. For example, it confirmed that, 18 years would be considered as the age of majority for the delivery of scrip. In the case of younger children, "their scrip should be delivered to their parents (to the father, if living, or to the mother if the father be dead), and that in the case of orphans under the age of eighteen years the scrip should be delivered to guardians on evidence of guardianship satisfactory to the Commissioners;..." (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 2). The Minister of the Interior also indicated that the Commissioners would no longer recognize powers of attorney, or assignments; and that there would be no delivery of scrip certificates to allottees (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 2).
The Order-in-Council also pointed out that there were a considerable number of Métis in the Territories who were the children of Manitoba Métis who had received scrip in 1870. The Department was of the opinion that these children had their Indian title extinguished when their parents accepted scrip, and that no title could have been passed to the children. There was some concern, however, that children of Manitoba Métis would "not appreciate the difference between their position and that of children of North-West Half Breeds proper born within the same period, and that if they be not given scrip they will consider that they have been unfairly dealt with and will continue to agitate for what they believe they are entitled to;..." (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 1). Nonetheless, the Ministry felt it was in the public interest to recognize these claims. This change in policy toward the children of Manitoba Métis was justified on the grounds that "...as the issue of scrip is a measure of public policy for the purpose of satisfying a class of the community who have certain aboriginal rights which it is in the general interest that that class should be recognized as having been properly and fully extinguished, it is part of the wisdom to go beyond the letter of the obligation of the State towards them in order to ensure the entire satisfaction of all the Half Breeds rather than to leave any room for agitation through a strict adherence to the letter of the obligation" (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 1.)
When the Department decided, in retrospect, to recognize the Indian title of Métis born in the organized Territories between 15 July, 1870 and the end of the year 1885, questions were raised as to whether scrip should also be given to the heirs of deceased Métis children, who were residents of the Territories during the period of inaction, and who would have participated in a scrip claim if they had lived. The Minister of the Interior reasoned that, since the issue of scrip should have been extended to all Métis of the North-West Territories born up to 1885, "...it follows that those entitled who have died should now benefit through their heirs" (P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, p. 2); otherwise the Aboriginal title of their heirs would not be properly extinguished. The Alberta and Saskatchewan Commission was, therefore, authorized under P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900, to accept claims from heirs of deceased Métis.
However, in the Treaty 8 settlement and all subsequent settlements which would be signed in conjunction with an Indian Treaty, the heirs of deceased Métis would only be recognized in cases where a scrip recipient had died in the time period which had lapsed after filing an application with the Commission and the receipt of the actual scrip from the Department.
16 May, 1900 to 6 December, 1900
Orders-in-Council, P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900; P.C. 596, 13 March, 1900; P.C. 1197, 4 May, 1900; P.C. 1423, 19 June, 1900; P.C. 1444, 19 June, 1900; P.C. 2747, 3 January, 1901.
James A.J. McKenna and James Walker (for the Districts of Alberta and Assiniboia); Joseph A. Coté (later replaced by Narcisse O. Coté, P.C. 708, 21 March, 1900) and Samuel McLeod (for the District of Saskatchewan and the portion of Manitoba lying outside its original boundaries); J.F. Prudhomme appointed secretary to the Commission (see RG 15, series D II 1, vol. 784, file 556360).
The operational records of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commissions were filed in RG 15, series, D II 1, vol. 783 and 784, file 556321, parts 1 to 4, title: "Half-Breed Commission file, J.A.J. McKenna, James Walker, J.A. Coté, S. McLeod [1900-1915]". The final report prepared by McKenna and Walker, dated 11 March, 1901, was annexed to P.C. 575, 16 March, 1901.
The final report prepared by Coté and McLeod, dated 29 March, 1901, was filed in RG 15, series D II 1, vol. 825, file 616753, title: " W.J. Roche, enquiries re. setting of Half-Breed Commission in Manitoba [1901-1903]". Both reports were later published as part vi of the annual report of the Department of the Interior, 1900-1901.
Sittings in the District of Assiniboia and Alberta were held at Willow Bunch, Fort Qu'Appelle, Touchwood Hills, Swift Current, Maple Creek, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Macleod, Pincher Creek, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Saddle Lake, St. Paul des Métis, Lac la Biche, Athabasca Landing, St. Albert, Lac Ste. Anne, Fort Saskatchewan, Wetaskiwin, Duhamel, and Lacombe.
Sittings in the District of Saskatchewan and the Province of Manitoba were held at Prince Albert, St. Louis, Batoche, Snake Plains, Sandy Lake, Devil's Island, Green Lake, Battleford, Onion Lake, Bresaylor, Fort à la Corne, Sturgeon River, Cumberland House, Birch River Portage, The Pas, Cedar Lake, Grand Rapids, Saskatoon, and Red Deer Lake (see the report by Commissioners N.O. Coté and S. McLeod submitted to the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, 29 March, 1901, in RG 15, vol 825, file 616,753).
In the District of Alberta and Assiniboia a total of 4,397 claims were investigated, of which 235 claims were disallowed and another 856 claims were reserved for further consideration under P.C. 575, 16 March, 1901; $315,600 in money scrip and 477,840 acres in land scrip were awarded by McKenna and Walker.
In the District of Saskatchewan and the Province of Manitoba a total of 2,146 claims were investigated, of which 1,990 were allowed and 23 were reserved for further evidence or special recommendation; $344,266.55 in money scrip and 117,680 acres in land scrip were awarded by Coté and McLeod (see the report by Commissioners N.O. Coté and S. McLeod submitted to the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, 29 March, 1901, in RG 15, vol 825, file 616,753).
This series contains applications for scrip made from 1886 to 1906 by Métis applying to the North-West Commissions, the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission, the Commissions for Treaties 8, 10, and 5, and all their adhesions. The applications give the name of the applicant, his/her place of residence, place and date of birth, name of parents and racial origins, marital status, dependents names, etc. Finding aid FA15-21, parts 1 to 15, is an alphabetical index to all the scrip applications in this series, including the Alberta-Saskatchewan applications. The finding aid is available on microfilm reel C-14943, and is also available in Archives Search.
To obtain a listing of all the applicants who appeared before the Saskatchewan/ Manitoba component of the claims Commission researchers should refer to the claims register (RG 15, volumes 1488 and 1489) or the claims register index (RG 15, volumes 1487 and 1494), both of which are described in greater detail elsewhere. Separate claims registers and indexes were used by the Alberta/Assiniboia component (RG 15, volumes 1490 to 1493, inclusive) and will provide researchers with a listing of all the applicants who appear before Commissioners McKenna and Walker.
If researchers can not find a particular application in this series, they should probably investigate the central registry series of the Dominion Lands Branch, RG 15, series D II 1 (described elsewhere). It is always possible that the application was withdrawn by departmental administrators and set up as a separate case file. This procedure appears to have been a common practice whenever an application required special consideration by the department. By creating a separate case file on a particular scrip application, the department could keep all its correspondence concerning the application together in a single location.
Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 8e, Certificates for Scrip, 1885-1906, 3.15 m, vols. 1373 to 1386.
Certificates (numbers C1 to C1200; D1 to D2870; E1 to E3200; F1 to F1466) issued by the Commissioners to Métis who were entitled to partake in the distribution of scrip. The certificates give the place and date of issue, name of the recipient, the amount and nature of the scrip, and the name of the Commissioner. The records are organized by the certificate registration number. Finding aid FA15-23 serves as a general index to these records. It gives the RG 15 volume number that contains the original document but it does not identify the individuals to whom the certificates were issued.
To find the certificate issued to a particular claimant under the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission when the registration number is unknown, researchers should consult finding aid FA15-21. The latter was originally intended to provide access to individual applications in RG 15, series D II 8c (see elsewhere), but it also summarizes the information available on each application form, including the number of the scrip certificate issued by the Commission. Once the certificate registration number is known, researchers can then refer to finding aid 15-23 to find the volume number in RG 15 where the original document is stored.
If the scrip certificate is not found in this series, it is always possible that a copy was placed in the applicant's case file, if such was created by the department. The case files were placed in the central registry of the Dominion Lands Branch, and are now retained by Library and Archives Canada as RG 15, series D II 1 (described elsewhere). If a case file was created for a particular claim, the file number will be indicated in the delivery registers (RG 15, volumes 1519 or 1520, described elsewhere).
This series contains all the cancelled notes for money scrip awarded by the Department of the Interior to Métis claimants of the Province of Manitoba and the North-West Territories. The notes issued by the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission are not identified in this series as a separate block of records, but instead are inter-filed with the notes awarded by all the Métis scrip commissions. As previously noted, all claimants for money scrip under the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission were awarded $240 (there was no distinction made between heads of families and children). The Department offered the claimants some flexibility in how they might receive their award. They could either take it as one $80 note and one $160 note, or as a single $240 note.
The scrip notes are retained by Library and Archives Canada in their numerical order. All the recipients of $80 scrip are listed in finding aid FA15-24, parts 19 to 22; and of $160 scrip in finding aid FA15-24, parts 23 to 25; and of $240 scrip in finding aid FA15-24, part 26. To find the note awarded to a particular claimant when the number of the scrip note is unknown, researchers should first refer to the delivery register (RG 15, volume 1520, described elsewhere) to obtain the scrip note number, and then to the appropriate parts of finding aid FA15-24 to find the RG 15 volume number where the note is stored.
This series contains cancelled notes for land scrip awarded by the Department of the Interior to Métis claimants of the former North-West Territories. The notes issued by the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission are inter-filed with the notes awarded by other scrip commissions. As previously noted, all claimants for land scrip under the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission were awarded 240 acres (unlike earlier Commissions, there was no distinction made between heads of families and children). The scrip was awarded as one 80 acre note and one 160 acre note. Unlike some of the other Commissions a single 240 acre note does not appear to have been used by the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission.
The land scrip retained by Library and Archives Canada is grouped according to the amount of the scrip (i.e., 80 acres or 160 acres), and in numerical order within each group. Finding aid FA15-13 will guide researchers to the volume in RG 15 where the note is stored; but to use this finding aid researchers must know the scrip number. To find the note awarded to a particular claimant when the number of the scrip note is unknown, researchers should first refer to the delivery register (RG 15, volume 1520, described elsewhere) to obtain the scrip note number, and then to finding aid FA15-13 to find the RG 15 volume number where the note is stored.
Location registers for the 160 acre scrip are retained in RG 15, volumes 1546, 1547, and 1550; and for the 80 acre scrip in RG 15, volumes 1545, 1548, and 1549 (see descriptions elsewhere). The registers serve as an index to the lands which were patented to holders of Métis scrip awarded under P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900. Once again, all the books are organized by scrip number. Each entry gives the name of the allottee, the name of the patentee, the legal description of the land awarded, acreage, date of patent, and the liber and folio numbers. These are the same liber and folio numbers used by Library and Archives Canada. The Letters Patent are retained in RG 15, Series D III 10.
Each receipt carries a unique number ranging from 1 to 15,700. The records are maintained by Library and Archives Canada in their numerical order. Finding aid FA15-26, parts 1 to 16, provides access to the records. Under each receipt number, it gives the volume number within the RG 15 record group; the name of the recipient; the recipient's application status (heir, child, etc.); the land or money scrip number; the amount of the receipt (in dollars or acres); the date of issue; and sometimes the scrip certificate number and the case file number.
In instances when the receipt number is unknown and only the claimant's name is available, researchers should first consult the delivery registers (RG 15, series D II 8m, volume 1520, see description elsewhere). The delivery registers are an alphabetical index to all the recipients of scrip. Among other things, they will give the number of the receipt signed by each claimant. Researchers can then use this number to find the entry for the receipt in finding aid FA15-26. The finding aid, in turn, will give researchers an indication as to which volume in Record Group 15 should be ordered if they wish to obtain access to the original document.
A numerically arranged series of subject files created by the Dominion Lands Branch. The series touches on all aspects of land management and natural resource administration by the Department of the Interior, including Métis land claims. The records included in this series contain general correspondence and departmental memoranda relating to rulings, policy, and procedures, which governed the operations of the Métis scrip commissions. It also contains case files relating to the awards given to individual Métis families. The files are numbered sequentially from 1 to 5,644,152 and are listed, in numerical, order in finding aid FA15-5. The majority of the operational records (i.e., non-case files) pertaining to Métis grants under the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission are indexed in Archives Search under the following keywords: scrip and Half-Breed. Case files relating to the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission, on the other hand, are generally indexed under the name of the claimant. A copy of the electronic finding aid is available in Archives Search.
North-West Half-Breed Claims [Register for Saskatchewan]. Authority: Chap. 54, clause 90, par. (f.), Revised Statutes of Canada, as enacted by sec. 4, 62-63 Victoria, Chap. 16 (1899); and Order in Council of the 2nd March, 1900
A register of claimants appearing before the Saskatchewan component of the scrip Commission authorized by P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900. These are claim registers 1 and 2 referred to by Commissioners Coté and McLeod in their final report to the Minister (see the report by Commissioners N.O. Coté and S. McLeod submitted to the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, 29 March, 1901, in RG 15, vol 825, file 616,753). The registers are organized by claim (declaration) number, with each entry noting the name and residence of the applicant, the names of his/her parents, the applicant's date of birth, the date of the declaration, the decision of the Commission (whether or not the claim was allowed), and the scrip certificate number. If a case file was created for the claim, the file number in the Dominion Lands Branch central registry will also be noted. These files are now retained by Library and Archives Canada in RG 15, series D II 1 (described elsewhere). To use these registers when the claim number is unknown and only the claimant's name is available, researchers should refer to the alphabetical index (RG 15, volume 1487 or volume 1494) described elsewhere. Either index will provide researchers with the applicant's claim number.
For claims 0001 to 1374:
Register No. 1, RG 15, vol. 1488, Aperture Card Book 71, reel C-11875
For claims 1375 to 2144:
Register No. 2, RG 15, vol. 1489, Aperture Card Book 72, reel C-11875
Index to North-West Half-Breed Claims [Register for Saskatchewan]. Authorized by chap. 54, sec. 90, par. F., R., S., C., as enacted by sec. 4, 62, 63 Vict., chap. 16 (1899), and Order-in-Council of the 2nd March, 1900
An alphabetical index of applicants listed in the claims register for Saskatchewan (see volumes 1488 and 1489). This is the index that Commissioners Coté and McLeod refer to in their final report to the Minister (see the report by Commissioners N.O. Coté and S. McLeod submitted to the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, 29 March, 1901, in RG 15, vol 825, file 616,753). Each entry provides the name of the applicant, his/her date of birth, the names of the applicant's parents, the claim (application) number, the decision of the Commission, the place at which scrip was issued, date of issue, the nature (land or money) and amount of the scrip, and general administrative remarks.
RG 15, vol. 1487, Aperture Card Book 70, reel C-11874
RG 15, vol. 1494, Aperture Card Book 77, reel C-11876, copy 2
North-West Half-Breed Claims [Register for Alberta]. Authority: Chap. 54, clause 90, par. (f.), Revised Statutes of Canada, as enacted by sec. 4, 62-63 Victoria, Chap. 16 (1899); and Order in Council of the 2nd March, 1900
A register of claimants appearing before the Alberta component of the Scrip Commission authorized by P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900. The registers are organized by claim (application) number, with each entry noting the name and residence of the applicant, the names of his/her parents, the applicant's date of birth, the date of the declaration, the decision of the Commission (whether or not the claim was allowed), and the scrip certificate number, and the nature and amount of the scrip. To use these registers when the claim number is unknown and only the claimant's name is available, researchers should refer to the alphabetical index (RG 15, vol. 1490) described elsewhere. This index will provide researchers with each applicant's claim number.
Register No. 1; claims 0001 to 1449;
RG 15, vol. 1491, Aperture Card Book 74, reel C-11875
Register No. 2; claims 1450 to 2950;
RG 15, vol. 1492, Aperture Card Book 75, reel C-11875-76
Register No. 3; claims 2951 to 3505;
RG 15, vol. 1493, Aperture Card Book 76, reel C-11876
Index to North-West Half-Breed Claims [Register for Alberta]. Authorized by chap. 54, sec. 90, par. F., R., S., C., as enacted by sec. 4, 62, 63 Vict., chap. 16 (1899), and Order-in-Council of the 2nd March, 1900
An alphabetical list of applicants listed in the claims register for Alberta (volumes 1491, 1492, and 1493). Each entry provides the name of the applicant, his/her date of birth, the names of the applicant's parents, the claim (application) number, the decision of the Commission, and general remarks by departmental administrators. The latter usually comments on whether or not a disallowed claim was reconsidered under subsequent orders-in-council.
RG 15, vol. 1490, Aperture Card Book 73, reel C-11875
[Register of disallowed claims, Alberta, 1900-1902]
A register of Métis claims disallowed by the Alberta component of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission authorized by P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900 and by the Manitoba and North-West Territories Commission authorized by Order-in-Council, P.C. 575, 16 March, 1901. The index is organized alphabetically, according to the last name of the claimant, with each entry recording the name of the community where the application was accepted, the claimant's claim number and a synopsis of the reason why the claim was disallowed.
RG 15, vol. 1536, Aperture Card Book 119, reel C-11881-82
These registers serve as an index to the lands which were patented to holders of Métis scrip awarded under P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900. The registers are organized according to the type of land scrip awarded (80 acre or 160 acre scrip) and then by scrip number. Each entry provides the date of the location, the patentee's name, the land description to which the scrip was applied, the patent fiat number, the date on which the Letters Patent were awarded, the liber and folio number of each patent, the file number, the name of the individual to whom the Letters Patent was assigned, the assignment number, and general administrative remarks. Please note that the liber and folio numbers for the Letters Patent listed in these registers are now retained by Library and Archives Canada in RG 15, Series D III 10. To use these registers when the scrip number is unknown, researchers should refer to the delivery register, RG 15, volume 1520, described elsewhere. The latter is organized alphabetically and will note the serial numbers of the scrip notes awarded to each claimant.
Register 1; scrip nos. A6001 to A7000; RG 15, vol. 1545, Aperture Card Book 128, reel C-11883
Register 2; scrip nos. A8001 to A9000; RG 15, vol. 1548, Aperture Card Book 131, reel C-11883
Register 3; scrip nos. A10001 to A10208; RG 15, vol. 1549, Aperture Card Book 132, reel C-11884
Register 1; scrip nos. A7001 to A8000; RG 15, vol. 1546, Aperture Card Book 129, reel C-11883
Register 2; scrip nos. A8001 to A9000; RG 15, vol. 1547, Aperture Card Book 130, reel C-11883
Register 3; scrip nos. A10501 to A10702; RG 15, vol. 1550, Aperture Card Book 133, reel C-11884
These registers document the delivery of scrip to claimants filing under the Manitoba Supplementary Commission, the North-West Half-Breed Commissions, the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commissions, and the Treaty 8, 10 and 5 Commissions, including all their adhesions. The registers are organized alphabetically according to the last name of the claimant. Each entry records the scrip number; the name and address of the person or agent to whom the scrip was issued; the date of scrip delivery; a brief description as to the authority (i.e., the Commission) under which the scrip was awarded; the amount and type of scrip issued; the application number (if applicable); the number and date of the receipt; the case file reference number; the certificate number; and general remarks by departmental administrators. The registers are excellent sources for researchers to find documentation on a claimant's complete scrip record. They provide an alphabetical index to many of the records in RG 15 which have been filed under a numerical system. For example, the scrip certificates, scrip notes and scrip receipts are filed in RG 15 by the document number. The finding aids for these records either do not exist or consist of file lists organized under the numerical system. It can be a very tedious task to find such documents when the number is unknown. The registers described here will provide researchers with these numbers when only the claimant's name is known.
For scrip deliveries after August 1899 see RG 15, vol. 1520, Aperture Card Book 103, reel C-11880
Index Book I and Index Book II
Two indexes of claimants who appeared before the Alberta component of the Alberta-Saskatchewan claims commission authorized by Order-in-Council, P.C. 438, 2 March, 1900. The registers are organized alphabetically according to the claimant's last name with each entry providing the claim number that was assigned to the application by Commissioners McKenna and Walker. Researchers can use these indexes to find the claim number associated with each application, and then use this number to find the applicant's entry in the Alberta claims registers. The latter are now retained by the Library and Archives Canada as volumes 1491, 1492, and 1493 (described elsewhere). Similar alphabetical indexes were compiled by McKenna and Walker and are now retained as volume 1490 (described elsewhere).
An alphabetical index to the Métis claimants enumerated by the Saskatchewan component of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission, chaired by N.O. Coté and S. McLeod. The claimants entered in this index were issued with a scrip certificate (Form E) for 240 acres of land. Each entry in the index lists the name of the claimant, his/her date of birth, the name of the claimant's parents, and the scrip certificate number.
An alphabetical index to the Métis claimants enumerated by the Saskatchewan component of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Commission, chaired by N.O. Coté and S. McLeod. The claimants entered in this index were issued with a scrip certificate (Form F) for 240 acres of land. Each entry in the index lists the name of the claimant, the name of the deceased person on whose behalf the claimant was acting as the sole heir, and the scrip certificate number.