Extension of First Stage Enrollment Process For Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band
- Target:
- CANADA AND FEDERATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND INDIANS
- Region:
- Canada
"On June 23, 2008 The Honorable Chuck Strahl and President of the FNI Brendan Sheppard signed the Agreement-in-Principle for status recognition for eligible Mi'kmaq under the Indian Act. As of November 30, 2009, close to 25,000 applications have been received and approximately 11,000 have been approved by the Enrolment Committee, chaired by Mr. Tom Rideout." Many of these applicants were led to believe that by submitting their applications before the first deadline, they would be considered for membership. This was not the case. Today there is roughly 14 000 people who have not had their applications processed and therefore will not be eligible for Band membership for several more years.
Note: You do not have to be an applicant of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band to sign the following petition. We encourage any supporters to sign.
We the Undersigned, on behalf of concerned applicants of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band, hereby petition... Canada and the FNI for an adequate extension to the first stage enrollment process pursuant to Chapter 2: General Provisions, 2.15, section (c) of the "Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq Band".
This would appropriately allow all individuals, who have submitted applications in advance of the first deadline, to be processed and upon meeting the required criteria, be considered for membership. Applicants who have met the deadline for the first founding members list must be treated with equality and have their applications processed without prejudice or delay. If no amendment is made, the said applicants will not be eligible for membership into the proposed Qalipu Band until the time that the second founding members list is released.
As a result, they will not be in receipt of benefits pertaining to the New Band nor will said applicants be eligible to vote in its elections until they become full members, which could take up to four years.
In the event that an extension is no longer possible, we hope that some compromise can be reached to accelerate the second list or update the first. It is unacceptable that well over half the applicants will be unable to vote in the first election.
The Extension of First Stage Enrollment Process For Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band petition to CANADA AND FEDERATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND INDIANS was written by Matt White and is in the category Government at GoPetition.