North

N.W.T. health dept. directs Métis benefits applicant to apply for Indian status

Métis leaders in the N.W.T. are outraged over a letter from the health department advising a Métis to apply for Indian status in order to be eligible for federal health care coverage. 'It's a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,' says NWT Métis Nation president Garry Bailey.

Métis leaders concerned such a policy would force people out of their Métis identity

Some Métis leaders are upset with N.W.T.'s health department for directing some people seeking Métis Health Benefits to apply for Indian Status and coverage under the federal government's non-insured health benefits program. 

"It's a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," said NWT Métis Nation president Garry Bailey.

CBC obtained a letter that was sent by the health department to an indigenous Métis of the Northwest Territories last year.

Northwest Territory Metis Nation president Garry Bailey says the N.W.T. government should not be asking Métis to apply for Indian status before applying for their Métis Health Benefits.

The letter states that the applicant may qualify for non-insured health benefits as a status Indian and advises the applicant to contact Aboriginal Affairs and apply for Indian status. It says if the applicant is refused treaty status, they can send in a new application for Métis Health Benefits, and attach the refusal letter from Aboriginal Affairs.

The letter has Métis leaders outraged.

Northwest Territory Métis Nation President Garry Bailey said the government should not be asking Métis to apply for Indian status before applying for their Métis Health Benefits.

"You decide what you want to be; if you want to be a treaty person or a Métis person, that's your choice on how you want to be recognized," said Bailey.

His concerns were also shared by North Slave Métis Alliance President Bill Enge.

"The government should not be trying to force march the Métis out of their Métis identity and their rights at the altar of extended medical benefits for the Government of Canada. There's no way that should be going on," said Enge.

"It certainly sounds to me like a misapplication of the policy, and if indeed it is operating in that way... then that practice has to stop and it has to stop now."

Prior to 1985, the Indian Act prevented First Nations women who married non-aboriginal men from keeping their Indian status. In 1985, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-31 which gave First Nations women and their children the right to register as status Indians. In 2011, another amendment to the Indian Act was passed, Bill C-3. This allowed for one more generation — the grandchildren — to register for Indian status.

The Métis Alliance president said that if the GNWT is forcing Métis to apply for Indian status before applying for Métis Health Benefits that could be costly to the Métis in the territory.

Bill Enge, president of the North Slave Métis Alliance, says the N.W.T. government 'should not be trying to force march the Métis out of their Métis identity and their rights at the altar of extended medical benefits.' (CBC)

"That would mean a Métis like myself would actually be disqualified from holding the Métis Health Benefits card and I'm the president of the North Slave Métis Alliance," said Enge.

Both Métis leaders say such a policy by the health department will drive down the indigenous Métis population in the territory.

Bailey said he doesn't understand why the territorial government would make Métis apply for Indian status but said he has his own suspicions.

"Of course it's got to boil down to the almighty dollar, I'd imagine," he said.

"You know the GNWT is probably worried about their budget."

The Métis Health Benefits program is territorial; the non-insured health benefits program for First Nations and Inuit is federal.

Bailey said he plans to bring up the issue with the Métis Nation board and talk to the GNWT directly.

The N.W.T. Department of Health and Social Services was unable to provide someone to comment before deadline.