Landless Band Concept

The Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) has long expressed its desire to see its members registered as status Indians under the Indian Act.  Years of lobbying, political pressuring and a Federal court case resulted in former Minister Robert Nault agreeing to enter exploratory discussions with the FNI to determine if a basis existed to proceed with registration. In April 2002, the Government of Canada appointed former Cabinet Minster, The Honorable Marc Lalonde as its special Representative. As a result of the exploratory discussions, Canada and the FNI entered into preliminary negotiations to determine if recognition as a "landless band" under the Indian Act represented a suitable model for addressing the concerns of the FNI.

In 2004 Mr. Lalonde made his substantive recommendations to the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.   The FNI has determined that recognition of a landless band under the Indian Act represents a suitable recognition model that will address the FNI's longstanding issue of official recognition. Further, the programs and services provided to members of the landless band will go a long way in improving the current education, economic, social and cultural well being of the Mi'kmaq represented by the FNI.

Currently, Mr. Lalonde's recommendation to proceed with the landless band option awaits consideration and hopefully approval by the federal cabinet.

What will the Landless Band option offer our people?

The Landless band option will see Mi’kmaq people of Newfoundland; who, upon meeting the criteria for membership, become registered as status Indian. The concept of a landless band has been implemented in other parts of Canada and is felt to be appropriate for the FNI because of the wide geographic disbursement of its members throughout the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The programs and services to be offered to members of a landless band include the following: education/training, economic development programs, non-insured health benefits, cultural programming, band support funding and language/recreational programs.