Métis Scrip Records

Commissions

Manitoba Commissions

Affidavits

Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 8a i, Affidavits, 1870-1885, 1.25 m, vols. 1319 to 1324; microfilm reels C-14925 to C-14934.

Affidavits by Métis children in support of their claim to participate in the special 1,400,000-acre land grant identified under section 31, 33 Victoria, chapter 3 (the Manitoba Act) and by Métis heads of family under 37 Victoria, chapter 20. The series also includes affidavits to the $240 in scrip awarded to Métis children in 1885 under the Manitoba Supplementary Commission, P.C. 810, 20 April, 1885. As well, the affidavits of Original White Settlers under the Manitoba Act (33 Vic., c. 3), including the Manitoba Supplementary Claims, are also inter-filed in this series.

There are three different types of affidavits: Form A, which was used by Métis children over the age of 18; Form B, which was used by Métis children under the age of 18; and Form C, which was used by Métis heads of family. In each case, the affidavits give the name of the claimant, date of birth, parents' names, parish affiliation, affidavit number, and claim number. The records are filed alphabetically. If researchers can not find a particular application in this series, they should then investigate the "HB" central registry series - RG 15, series D II 3 (see description elsewhere) - which was created by the Department as a special repository for records pertaining to the Métis scrip commissions of 1885 and 1886. It is always possible that the application was withdrawn by Departmental administrators and placed in a separate case file under the "HB" registry. If it is not here, they should probably investigate the central registry of the Dominion Lands Branch, RG 15, series D II 1 (see description elsewhere).

This finding aid is available on microfilm reel T-4687 and in Archives Search.

An index to the affidavits filed by Métis children can be found in RG 15, series D II 8m, volume 1526, and by Métis heads of families in RG 15, series D II 8m, volume 1525. Affidavits pertaining to claims under the Manitoba Supplementary Claim Commission, P.C. 810, 20 April, 1885, are indexed in RG 15, series D II 8M volume 1527 (Métis claims only) and volume 1506 (both Métis and Original White Settlers claims). The affidavits associated with the claims of Original White Settlers under the Manitoba Act, 33 Vic., c. 3, prior to the Manitoba Supplementary Claims, are indexed in RG 15, series D II 8m, volume 1510. All these volumes are described in greater detail in the section on registers and indexes.

Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 8a ii, Affidavits, 1875-1877, 0.1 m, vol. 3171.

Affidavits made by Métis families living in Manitoba to support their claim to the 1,400,000 acres set aside for Métis children and heads of families under the Manitoba Act (33 Vic., c. 3). The documents are identical to those listed in sub-series 8a i. For some unknown reason, these affidavits were withdrawn by departmentaln officials from the main sub-series and were only recently found at Library and Archives Canada in a small cache of un-accessioned records.

Although the affidavits were sworn before Commissioner Ryan from 1875 to 1877, the land grants in mostncases were not awarded until the late 1890s. The affidavits are filednalphabetically. Finding aid FA 15-8 is an alphabetical index, giving the name of the claimant, the names of his/her parents and children, the claimant's date of birth and place of residence, the affidavit number, and the grant number. The finding aid is also available in Archives Search.