You are currently viewing Will 80k Newfoundlanders get another chance for Indian Status? A massive Court Trial starting this week wants to make it happen

Will 80k Newfoundlanders get another chance for Indian Status? A massive Court Trial starting this week wants to make it happen

Courthouse of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador

'Friends of Qalipu' set to represent 80,000 applicants to the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation this week

Represented by St. John’s-based law firm Browne Fitzgerald Morgan and Avis, the ‘Friends of Qalipu Advocacy Association’, a Newfoundland and Labrador Mi’kmaq group that are representing rejected applicants to the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation are set to fight against the Federal Government and the precursor to Qalipu, the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI), in a massive 3-week court trial in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland from January 16 – February 3, 2023.

Removal as ‘Status Indians’ a Sore Point

In the midst of several court cases against the Federal Government and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians by other groups and individuals, six determined applicants who felt they were wronged by the loss of their status (namely Shawn Benoit, Matthew Anderson, Marie Tapp Melanson, Bobbie Tapp Goosney, Paul Bennett, and Jennifer Sue Le Roux; collectively known as Benoit et al.) filed their own court case with Browne Fitzgerald Morgan and Avis of St. John’s, NL on February 2, 2018. This was tabled against the parties involved in constructing the controversial Supplemental Agreement with its Point System. The very same agreement that removed over 10,000 people as Status Indians. The Friends of Qalipu advocacy group who act as administrators for the funding of this case, has a large following instate Qalipu circles and has a very loyal base that is focused on fighting injustices imposed upon them.

Their Statement of Claim stipulates that as members of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, the precursor to Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation, they were not afforded the possibility of voting on the Supplemental Agreement which tightened rules and some would say changed the criteria of membership within the band. That they say, was a direct violation of their rights as members of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians since the Supplemental Agreement was not ratified by its members. While the case primarily is concerned with the NL Corporations Act, it has many other facets.

For background on their initial filing, a court injunction was part of the Statement of Claim and was heard in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland in June 2018. While an injunction could not be issued against the Federal Government to halt the loss of Indian Status cards in August 2018, a strong declaratory order was issued in its place.

Trial Funded by the Rejected Applicants to the First Nation

It was determined last year by the Friends of Qalipu Advocacy Association (“FOQ”) that their fundraising goal to support their legal fight against the Federal Government and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (“FNI”) had been reached. It came as a result of months of efforts by the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation applicant-led group to raise the funds primarily from rejected Indian Status applicants. Many of these donors are set to attend court starting on Monday, January 16th where the largest court room has been made available to the public for viewing.

The upcoming trial is preceded by several court wins by the ‘Friends of Qalipu’ group in recent years including a 2019/2020 case that sought to have two very significant documents included in the trial as evidence. This case was particularly fought hard by the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and their legal representatives. The court would eventually rule with the ‘Friends of Qalipu’ group and the documents are undoubtedly set to appear in the upcoming trial.

Trial Provides New Hope

The trial will feature witnesses (including the plaintiffs) and arguments by all three parties involved. As rejected members of the Qalipu First Nation Band gather inside the St. John’s courtroom for the next three weeks, the hope that is on their minds is that they will be given another chance at what they feel is their birthright as First Nations people.

Newfoundland Mi’kmaq have been fighting for recognition since the early 1970s.

This Post Has 54 Comments

  1. Reg Mac Donald

    The work you done is on believable

  2. Megan

    is there a Facebook group or anywhere I could be added for updates on this case?
    I have been effected this and would love to be involved more.

  3. Hey There. I dischovered your weblo using msn. That is a very
    martly written article. I will bee surte tto boookmark iit andd return to
    earn etra of your helpftul info. Thank yyou for thhe post.
    I will cerdtainly return.

  4. Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, yoou may bbe a
    greast author. I will make ure too bookmark yor blog and will come back
    someday. I wannt tto encourage one too continue yor grewt work, have a ice
    day!

  5. What’s upp it’s me, I amm also visiting this webste daily, tgis webhsite iis
    actually pleasant annd the users are truly sharing pleasabt thoughts.

  6. What’s Going dolwn i’m new tto this, I stumbled upon thjis I’ve fouhd It positively helpful annd iit hass auded me outt loads.
    I amm hoping to contribute & aid different customees likke its helped me.
    Good job.

  7. Hey there! I’ve beden followibg your blo forr a long timne noww andd finally goot tthe courage too ggo ahead and give yyou a shout out fro Huffnan Texas!

    Just wanted too tell you kkeep up thee good job!

  8. Hiya! I know thuis iss kina off topc hhowever I’d
    figred I’d ask. Woulod yyou bee intesrested iin trading lins or mayge guest writing a
    blog post or vice-versa? My website gpes over a loot of the same topiics as youes annd I belkieve we cohld greatly benefit from each other.
    If you happen to bee interested feel freee to send mee an e-mail.

    I lokok forward to hearing frrom you! Great blog by thhe way!

  9. Yoou need to take par iin a contsst foor onee off the mst usesful websites
    onn thhe internet. I wikll recommend thus web site!

  10. Greetings! Verry helpful advice iin thks particular post! It iis thhe littyle changs that prodcuce thhe lqrgest changes.
    Thanks ffor sharing!

  11. Unqustionably believe that which yyou stated. Yoour favoriye justificatioon seemed to
    be oon tthe net the easiest tthing tto bbe aware
    of. I saay to you, I definitely gett irked whijle peeople onsider worries that thhey
    just don’t kow about. You managd to hiit the nnail uupon tthe
    top and definedd out the whbole thibg without havihg
    side-effects , peopoe could taie a signal.
    Wiill proably bbe back too gget more. Thanks

  12. Heya i am ffor the primary time here. I cazme across
    this board and I find It really useeful & it helped mee outt much.
    I hkpe too give something back andd aid others lile yoou aide me.

  13. I ddo not efen know how I ended uup here, bbut I hought this post was good.
    I don’t know wwho you aare but certainly you’re giing to a
    famus blogger if youu aren’t already 😉 Cheers!

  14. If you would like to get a great deal frrom tbis post the youu hsve tto apply succh techniques to ylur won web site.

  15. Hurrah, that’s wuat I wass looiing for, what a data! prexent here at this
    webpage, thanks admin oof this web page.

  16. Whhy visitors still use to readd news papesrs when iin this technological globe thhe whole thiing is preseented on net?

  17. Fantasttic blog! Do youu haqve any recommendations for aspiring writers?

    I’m hoping to start my oown blog soon but I’m a littlke ost oon everything.

    Wouuld youu propose starting with a free platfform like WordPress or go foor a paid option? Ther aree so manyy optionjs
    oout thee that I’m totally confused .. Anny suggestions?
    Kudos!

  18. I enjly what youu guys aree uup too. This sort of clever ork
    and reporting! Keep uup thhe great woorks gujys I’ve added you guys to my blogroll.

  19. Please leet mme kjow iif you’re lookking forr a article aufhor ffor
    your site. Youu have slme really good articles and I feerl
    I woulpd bee a good asset. If you everr want to takme some oof
    tthe load off, I’d really like too wrire some material forr yoiur blog in exhange for a
    link back to mine. Plesse shoot mme aan e-mail if interested.
    Regards!

  20. I alwayss used tto study post inn nerws papers butt noow as I am a user of neet therefore feom noww
    I amm usinjg nnet forr areticles or reviews, thanks to web.

  21. Gret work! This iss thhe ttpe oof information that are
    supposed tto bee shared across thee web. Disgbrace on Goole forr not positioning this
    ppublish upper! Come oon over annd seek advihe from my web ste
    . Thank you =)

  22. I don’t know whether it’s just mme or if perhaps everybody else encountering pronlems with yoyr blog.
    It appeards like some oof the terxt on your posts are running off thee screen. Cann someone else please comment andd lett mee know iff this is
    happening tto them as well? Thiis may be a problem wiith my internet breowser because I’ve had thiss happen previously.
    Cheers

  23. Hi, I thiink your blog mibht be haing brrowser compatibility issues.
    Whhen I loook at your blog iin Chrome, iit looks fine buut whhen opening inn Iternet Explorer, it hass some overlapping.

    I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other thhen that, very goood blog!

  24. I simply could not go away youyr website pror tto suggestijng
    that I actuyally enoyed the usual info a person supply too your visitors?
    Is going tto bee basck incessantly in ordwr too check upp oon neww
    posts

  25. Magnificent gods from you, man. I hasve bewr in mibd your tuff prjor too and you’re
    just extremdly excellent. I actually lkke what yyou have ggot
    here, certainly like what you arre stating annd the wayy in whijch wherein you aree saying it.You’re making it entertaining aand yyou contnue too taie care of to kedep
    itt sensible. I can noot wait to learn muych more from you.
    Thhat iss eally a terrific wweb site.

  26. Oh myy goodness! Amazing article dude! Thanks, However
    I amm havinbg dkfficulties with you RSS. I don’t understand the reason whhy I can’t subscribe tto it.
    Is there anybody else havfing thee same RSS problems?
    Anyone that knows thhe answer ill yyou kindly respond?
    Thanks!!

  27. This iis the perffect website for eeryone who really ants
    tto find out aboutt thus topic. You understand soo much
    its alkost tough to argue with you (not tat I actuaply woulpd want to…HaHa).

    You definitely puut a brand new spikn oon a
    subject that’s bedn discussed for a long time.
    Excdllent stuff, juswt great!

  28. I am now not possitive where yyou aare getting yoour information,
    but great topic. I need too spoend a whil findinjg out much more orr working outt more.
    Thznk yyou forr fantastic information I was searching ffor thios info
    for my mission.

  29. Sweet blog! I fond it while surfiong aroubd oon Yahio News.
    Do yyou have any tips oon hoow too gett lised iin Yaho News?
    I’ve been ttrying ffor a wile butt I nnever seem too get there!
    Maany thanks

  30. Undeniably believe thwt whicfh yoou stated. Yoour favorite justification appeaded to be
    onn the weeb the eaiest thikng to bbe aware of. I saay too you, I ccertainly get irked whiloe people thunk about worries that tgey jus don’t knw about.
    You manaved tto hiit thhe nail upon the topp as well as defined oout the wholke thing without havig side
    efffect , peopole ccan take a signal. Willl proably be baqck tto get more.
    Thanks

  31. Helplo there! I kow this iss kunda offf tolic hwever I’d figured I’d ask.
    Would you bbe interesfed in trading linnks oor mmaybe guest authoting a blog article orr vice-versa?
    My website covers a lot off the same sujects aas youurs and I believe wee coulod greatly beneft ftom each other.
    If yyou might bee interestedd feel free to send mme an email.
    I look fofward to hearing from you! Excellent blo bby the way!

  32. Wayy cool! Some very valid points! I apprciate you penning thus popst aand also thee rest of thee website iss
    allso reawlly good.

  33. Great post. I ued tto be checking constasntly this welog and I am impressed!
    Extremely helpful indormation specially thee las sectikn :
    ) I deal with such information a lot. I wwas seeking thhis certaiun info
    for a lonhg time. Thank youu andd best oof luck.

  34. Hello, i thunk thawt i saw yyou visted mmy bllog
    thjus i cme to goo basck thee prefer?.I am
    trying too too fjnd things tto enhajce my web site!I supppose its ook tto make usse oof somee oof your ideas!!

  35. Whhat i don’t undderstood is in fact how you’re not actually a
    loot more well-preferred thsn you maay bbe right now.
    You’re sso intelligent. Yoou realie therefore signifidantly when iit coes tto tis subject, produced me in myy
    pinion believe itt from numerrous arious angles.
    Its like women aand meen are not interested unles it
    is one thinmg tto accomplish with Lady gaga! Yourr personazl stufvs nice.
    Alays maintaon it up!

  36. I think tthe amin of this sitfe is genuinely working
    hard ffor hhis web page, because hete every stufff iss quality based data.

  37. A motivating discussion iis worth comment.I thinkk thqt youu need tto write more onn this subject
    matter, iit miight not bbe a tabooo mtter but uzually peoppe doo
    not spdak about such subjects. To the next! Manyy thanks!!

  38. Usually I do nnot read arrticle onn blogs, buut I wish too
    ssay that thhis write-up ver compelled mme to tryy and do so!
    Youur riting taste hhas been surprrised me.

    Thanks, very nice article.

  39. Thank youu foor the god writeup. It iin fwct wwas a amusement account it.

    Look advanbced too mor addd agreeable from you!
    By thee way, how can wwe communicate?

  40. An outstanding share! I’ve just forwwarded this onto a co-worker wwho has been conducting a
    little research oon this. Andd hee actually orered me lunch simply because
    I foound it forr him… lol. So allpow mee too reqord this….
    Thanhk YOU for thee meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time tto talk about this issue here oon your site.

  41. Right here is thee right weboage foor aybody who would like to fund oout about this topic.

    Yoou knnow a whole loot itts amost haard to argue with you (not thnat I actually will need to…HaHa).
    Yoou deffinitely puut a bran new spn onn a subjeect that hass been discussed for decades.
    Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!

  42. Hi I aam soo grateful I fouund your blog, I really founjd you bby
    error, while I was searchikng on Diigg foor something else, Regardless I
    amm here noww andd wkuld just like to sayy thganks a loot for a ttemendous post and a all
    round exciting bblog (I also lovge the theme/design), I don’t have time too browse itt all at thee minute but I have
    book-marked itt annd also addxed iin yoour RSS feeds, soo when I have time I wikll be back to ead more, Pleaswe do kdep
    upp tthe excllent work.

  43. These aree truily enormous idsas in regvarding blogging.
    Yoou have touched skme nice factors here. Anyy wayy
    keerp up wrinting.

  44. Heyy there! I knmow thos is inda offf topiic but I
    was wondering which blog pplatform are yoou uszing foor this website?
    I’m gettingg tired off Wordpfess because I’ve hadd issies with hackers andd I’mlooking at alternatives foor anoher platform.
    I would bbe fantasti if you culd point mme inn thhe direction off a good
    platform.

  45. Thiis is very interesting, You’re an excessivly profesional blogger.
    I have joined your rss feed and siit uup for in tthe huint ffor extra of
    your excelent post. Also, I havve shared your sitye inn mmy skcial networks

Leave a Reply