Qalipu First Nation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Qalipu First Nation
Band No. 34

People	Miꞌkmaq
Headquarters	Corner Brook
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Land
Reserve(s)	None
Population (2019)
Off reserve	22,638
Total population	22,638
Government
Chief	Brendan Mitchell
Council	Vice-Chief Jenny Brake Vice-Chief Andrew Barker Jasen Benwah (Port au Port) Sharren (Sherry) Dean (Corner Brook) Charlene Combdon (Exploits) Calvin Francis (Gander Bay) Terri Greene (Benoit's Cove) Francis Skeard (Glenwood) Robert White (Flat Bay) Ivan White (St. George's) Hayward Young (Stephenville)
Website
qalipu.ca

The Qalipu First Nation (pronounced: ha-lee-boo, meaning: Caribou) is a Mi'kmaq Indigenous group. It was officially recognized as a First Nation in 2011 by the Canadian government. This happened after an agreement called the Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq Band.

When the band was approved, about 100,000 people applied to become members. In the end, around 23,000 people were accepted. This First Nation does not have its own reserve land. It is based on the island of Newfoundland. The Qalipu First Nation is also recognized by the Mi'kmaq Grand Council and the Assembly of First Nations.

History of the Mi'kmaq People

Life Before European Contact

Before Europeans arrived, the Mi'kmaq people lived in a large area they called Miꞌkmaꞌki. This land included parts of what are now Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, northeastern New Brunswick, and the Gaspé Peninsula in Canada.

By the 1600s, Mi'kmaq people often visited the island they called Taqamkuk (today known as Newfoundland). They crossed the Cabot Strait using special boats called shallops, which they learned to use from European traders. They hunted along the south coast of Newfoundland and then returned to Cape Breton Island. Some Mi'kmaq also lived on Newfoundland for hundreds of years. The original Indigenous people of Newfoundland, the Beothuk, are believed to have died out in the early 1800s.

Settling in Newfoundland

During the time when France and Britain were fighting over land in North America, the Mi'kmaq became allies with France. They traded with the French and sometimes joined them in raids against English settlements. In 1763, Britain won the Seven Years' War against France. France then gave all its land east of the Mississippi River to Britain, including the traditional Mi'kmaq lands. This led to many British settlers moving into these areas.

However, Newfoundland was still mostly empty, especially the western and central parts. Most Europeans lived in small towns on the eastern coast. This meant the Mi'kmaq living on the island could largely continue their traditional way of life. After the Beothuk people disappeared in the 1800s, the Mi'kmaq were the main Indigenous group in Newfoundland's interior. In 1857, a count of the population showed Mi'kmaq communities in places like St. George's Bay, Codroy Valley, and Bay d'Espoir.

Europeans knew little about the island's interior. They often relied on the Mi'kmaq as guides. For example, in 1822, an explorer named William Cormack traveled across Newfoundland. His guide was a Mi'kmaw man named Sylvester Joe. In the 1860s, the British even hired Mi'kmaq men to deliver mail across the island using their knowledge of trails.

Changes in the Late 1800s

In 1898, a railway was built across Newfoundland. This made it easier for Europeans to reach the island's interior. Many Europeans came to hunt caribou, which caused the caribou population to drop sharply. Caribou were a main food source for the Mi'kmaq, so this decline greatly affected them. Also, starting in the 1920s, the price of animal furs began to fall. This led some Mi'kmaq to stop trapping and instead work for Europeans as loggers.

Working Towards Recognition

In 1972, a group called the Native Association of Newfoundland and Labrador was formed. It aimed to represent the Mi'kmaq, Innu, and Inuit peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador. After the Labrador Innu and Inuit formed their own groups in 1975, the organization became the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI). The FNI included six Mi'kmaq communities. The provincial government supported the FNI's efforts.

The Canadian government first recognized only one Mi'kmaq community in Newfoundland, at Conne River. In 1987, the Miawpukek First Nation was officially recognized under the Indian Act. Their community of Conne River was set aside as reserve land for the Mi'kmaq.

Getting recognition for the other Mi'kmaq groups in Newfoundland took much longer. The FNI tried to get official status under the Indian Act but faced many challenges. In 1989, they even went to Federal Court to argue that their members should be recognized as "Indians" under Canadian law.

In 2003, a report suggested creating a First Nation band for the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq that would not have its own reserve land. An agreement was reached in 2006, and the FNI accepted it in 2007. The Canadian government officially approved it in 2008.

Membership in the Qalipu First Nation

The Canadian government expected about 5,000 people to become members of the new Qalipu band. This was similar to the number of people in the Federation of Newfoundland Indians. However, about 100,000 people applied for membership. This was about one-fifth of Newfoundland's total population!

After the first round of applications, 23,000 out of 30,000 applicants were accepted. This made the Qalipu First Nation the second largest band in Canada by membership. Because so many people applied, the process was paused. A new agreement was made in 2013, and many applications were put on hold.

In 2013, some applicants formed a new group called the Mi’kmaq First Nations Assembly of Newfoundland. They wanted the enrollment process to continue. In 2014, a new law was passed to review all applications again. This led to stricter rules, and over 80,000 applicants were rejected. By 2017, about 18,044 people were eligible for membership. In 2018, the official list of founding members included 18,575 people. By 2021, nearly 24,000 people were recognized as founding members. They live in 67 communities in Newfoundland and other places.

Questions About Legitimacy

In 2013, some leaders from other Mi'kmaq groups, like the Assembly of Nova Scotia Chiefs, raised concerns about the Qalipu band. They questioned if the Canadian government had the right to decide who counts as Mi’kmaq. They argued that while the government can decide who is an "Indian" under the law, it cannot decide who is truly Mi’kmaq by culture and heritage.

Later in 2013, the Mi’kmaq Grand Council, which is the traditional government of the Mi'kmaq people, also spoke out. They told the United Nations that they did not recognize the Qalipu band as legitimate. They said, "These new Qalipu members we simply do not know and do not recognize as Mi’kmaq."

However, since then, representatives from the Mi'kmaq Grand Council have visited Newfoundland. They met with the Qalipu Chief and Council and community members. During their visit, a spokesperson for the Grand Council said they were happy to meet their relatives and acknowledge the wider Mi'kmaq family in Newfoundland. He added, "Unity is the Mi’kmaq way.”

The Mi'kmaq Rights Initiative still believes that the Qalipu band was created by the federal government. They do not see them as part of the larger Mi'kmaq nation. A group called the Friends of Qalipu Advocacy Association is currently challenging the enrollment process in court.

How the Qalipu First Nation is Governed

The Qalipu First Nation is led by a band council. This council is elected according to the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Custom Election Rules. These rules were part of the agreement with the Canadian government. Any changes to these election rules must be approved by a vote of all band members. In 2021, a vote passed to change the terms of office for council members to four years, starting in 2024.

Council Members

Members of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation elect a Chief, two Vice Chiefs, and councillors who represent nine different areas called wards. The current Chief is Brendan Mitchell.

Wards and Councillors

Here are the electoral districts and the councillors elected in 2021:

Images for kids

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  Humber Arm, near Benoits Cove

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  Steady Brook, near Corner Brook

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  Buchans Lake, near Exploits

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  Burgeo, near Flat Bay

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  Gander, near Glenwood

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  Road to Lourdes, near Port au Port

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  Stephenville