Who We Mean When We Say "Métis"
Understanding who the Métis Nation is and why we speak about Métis identity with care and clarity.
When this framework says "Métis," we are speaking about the Métis Nation: a distinct Indigenous people with our own history, our own culture, our own language, and our own political rights.
We emerged on the prairies, especially around Red River, in the 1700s and 1800s. Our families came from First Nations women and European fur traders, mostly French and Scottish. Over time, we became something new. Not half this or half that, but our own people. We built kinship networks. We made our own governance and laws. We lived our own spirituality and way of life on the land.
Today, the Métis Nation is recognized as one of three Indigenous peoples in Canada, alongside First Nations and Inuit.
Where We Are Now
We live across the prairies, in British Columbia, in the North, and in cities and communities right across the country. Some of us are closely tied to historic Métis communities and settlements. Some of us grew up far from those places. Some of us are just now reconnecting to family histories that were hidden or denied for a long time.
There's no one way to look Métis. There's no one way to be Métis.
Citizenship and What It Means
When we talk about Métis citizenship or registration, we mean the democratically mandated Métis governments like Otipemisiwak Métis Government in Alberta, Métis Nation British Columbia, and others across the Métis Homeland. These governments set their own citizenship codes. They speak for their Citizens. This framework does not replace or question those processes.
But here's what we also know:
Métis identity and belonging are about more than paperwork. Community connection matters. Family relationships matter. Shared history and lived experience matter too. Many Métis people have been cut off from their communities through colonialism, racism, and forced assimilation. Some are just beginning to learn their stories, their names, their homelands.
This framework is here to create spaces where Métis people can explore, name, and live their identity without fear, without gossip, without being told to "prove" themselves on demand, without punishment.
Harm From Multiple Directions
Because of our history, Métis people often face discrimination and harm from more than one direction.
In some spaces, we're told we're not Indigenous "enough." In others, we're told we're "too white." Our citizenship and belonging get questioned, sometimes anonymously, sometimes publicly. We get left out of Indigenous-specific programs and policies altogether.
These aren't just hurt feelings. They're forms of systemic violence and lateral violence that affect our safety, our health, our work, and our community life.
Why This Framework Focuses on Identity Safety
This is why this framework focuses on Métis identity safety, dignity, and accountability.
It is here to help your organization understand:
- Who the Métis Nation is and why we are a distinct people
- Why identity scrutiny, lateral violence, and erasure are so harmful
- What it means in everyday decisions, policies, and relationships to treat Métis people with respect, care, and accountability
If this is new to you, that's okay. You don't need to be an expert in Métis history to start making your organization safer for Métis people.
What you do need:
A willingness to listen. A commitment to keep learning. And a readiness to work with Métis people and governments in good faith.
Ready to Learn More?
Explore the framework's core principles and implementation guidance to create safer spaces for Métis people.