THE RISE OF MARGINALIZATION
Following the events of the North-West Rebellion, the Metis and other First Nation groups experienced the worst impacts. The treatment of people in Saskatchewan became heavily based on race. French and English Europeans quickly became wealthy over their aboriginal counterparts. Metis properties were destroyed while Euro-Canadian properties were protected by the Canadian government. Systematic marginalization of the Metis and other First Nation people rapidly increased. Many Metis were falsely accused of being rebels tied to the previous rebellions and were executed. This fear caused Metis to be ousted from social benefits that were otherwise given to Euro-Canadians. Now that Riel had been executed, the Metis suffered much more. The Metis had no choice but to disperse after being deceived by the Canadian government after the signing of the Manitoba Act.
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Failed Social systems
There were some Metis that stayed back however, or were designated as non-participants of the rebellion. This group of Metis were given what was called “scrip”. Scrip were land or monetary allotments with valuations of around $160 to $240. Despite this, the handing out of these scrips were severely mismanaged. Many scrips never reached their intended owners or were missing the intended beneficiary’s name once they had arrived. Even Metis that did receive a valid scrip mostly had to sell them off as they could not afford to invest in farming equipment to make use of their land. Metis scrips often were sold to bankers, lawyers, speculators and financial institutions. Great sums of wealth were accrued by dispossessing Metis from their lands. This continued even after the scrip system and many Metis found themselves living by the sides of roads. As these kind of Metis accumulated in number, they began to be known as “The Road Allowance People”. As Metis marginalization increased, alongside the fact that they did not own land or pay taxes, many of them and their children did not receive basic access to public schools. Only some made it into reserve schools and separate catholic institutions. Those admitted into catholic schools had to pay for their parents or grandparents participation in the rebellions in some form.
Fighting marginalization
It was only during the 1930s and 1940s when the government began to recognize and address the economic, political, and social marginalization of the Metis people. Many government attempts to help the First Nation community such as experimental farms resulted in failure and provided little aid to the people in need. Real change has only started to occur due to the rise of Metis leaders like James Brady, Malcom Norris, and Peter Tomkins who were able to put in place The Metis Betterment Act in 1938 by highlighting the concerns of the Metis to the mainstream political landscape.
The Metis on Social media
For more insight about the Metis in contemporary Canada, be sure check out and follow @metisnationsask, @MBMetis_MMF, and @AlbertaMetis
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