Métis Scrip Records

Commissions

Manitoba Commissions

Subject Files

Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 2, Manitoba Act Files, 1873-1881, 6.75 m, vols. 140 to 169; microfilm reels C-14902 to C-14924.

Subject files created by the Dominion Lands Branch, Ottawa, in its administration of the Manitoba Act. Some of the files contained in this series were also created by the Survey Office of Dominion Lands, Manitoba, and by Dominion Lands Office, Winnipeg, but were later integrated by the Dominion Lands Office, Ottawa, into this series. The files deal mainly with applications by Métis and Original White Settlers for letters patents under section 32 of the Manitoba Act. The files contain correspondence between the claimants and the Department of Interior, applications or claims for letters patent under Manitoba Act, and land assignments. Usually the land description (parish name and lot number) and name of the claimant are given on the file cover. Also included in the series are some policy and procedure files, and some reports by various agents of the Department. The files are arranged numerically from M.A. 2 to M.A. 10614. Finding aid FA15-16 is a listing of the files found in the series, giving the file title, the names of the correspondents, the file's date range, volume number, and microfilm reel number. A copy of the electronic finding aid is available elsewhere in Archives Search. They may be accessed through the main menu under the record group number. For a complete listing of all the files created by the department in the M.A. series, including those which were later destroyed, see the correspondence registers. The register exists in aperture card format only, Aperture Card Books 187 to 191 (see the section on registers and indexes for a complete description).

Since the M.A. series was closed by the department in 1881, issues relating to the Manitoba Act that remained unresolved after this date - in particular, applications for land grants from Métis minors who would not reach the age of majority until after 1881 and the Manitoba Supplementary Claims - were brought forward into two other central registry series. These series are now held by Library and Archives Canada as: RG 15, series D II 1, Correspondence Dominion Lands Branch; and RG 15, series D II 3, "H.B." Files. Researchers interested in Métis applications under the Manitoba Act should, therefore, consult these other series, if they have not found what they are looking for in the M.A. series.

Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 3, Half-Breed Files, 1885-1887, 12.75 m, vols. 170 to 226; microfilm reels T-11354 to T-11358, T-12021 to T-12036, and T-12153 to T-12154.

A numerically arranged series of subject files created by the Dominion Lands Branch which deal with Métis claims arising out of the Manitoba Supplementary Commission and the 1885 North-West Commission. A number of these files still retain file jackets with a red imprint which reads "Commissioner's Office, Winnipeg", and feature a five-digit file number (for example, file HB 5347 has "57719" stamped in the space for the file number). The series probably originated in Winnipeg and at one time had its own classification system. When the files were transferred to the Dominion Lands Office in Ottawa, new file jackets, printed in blue and labelled "Dominion Lands Branch", were attached to some of the files, and all were given new file numbers with an "HB" prefix. In some cases, the older red jackets were not replaced, and the "HB" number was simply printed to the side of the original five-digit number.

A number of the HB files were withdrawn from this series, transferred to the Dominion Lands Branch central registry, and re-numbered. In particular, it would appear that most files (but not all) pertaining to departmental policy, procedures, and correspondence with the Scrip Commissioners were culled from the "HB" series, leaving mostly individual Métis case files which contain correspondence between the claimants and the Department of Interior, applications for scrip, powers of attorney and scrip certificates. The files are arranged numerically from HB 7 to HB 9579. Finding aid 15-16 is a listing of the files found in the series, giving the file title, the names of the correspondents, the file's date range, volume number, and microfilm reel number. It can be accessed through Archives Search.

Dept. of the Interior, RG 15, Series D II 1, Dominion Lands Branch, Correspondence, Headquarters, 1871-1946, 213.6 m, vols. 227 to 1176; Microfilm reels T-12176 to T-15542.

Subject files created by the Dominion Lands Branch. The series touches on all aspects of land management and natural resource administration by the Department of the Interior, including Métis land claims. The records included in this series contain general correspondence and departmental memoranda relating to rulings, policy, and procedures, which governed the operations of the Manitoba Commission. It also contains case files relating to the awards given to individual Métis by the Manitoba Commission, in particular those which were only completed after the MA (RG 15 D II 2) and the HB series (RG 15 D II 3) discussed elsewhere were closed. The files are numbered sequentially from 1 to 5,644,152 and are listed, in numerical, order in finding aid FA15-5. Under each file number, the finding aid gives the volume number, file title, date range, and subject headings. A copy of the electronic finding aid is available elsewhere in Archives Search.