Qalipu Founding Members List Updated

Summary#

The Order Amending the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Order (SOR/2023-124) updates the official list of founding members for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation. It adds eight people to that list, making them eligible to be registered as Status Indians under the Indian Act. The Order came into force when it was registered on June 9, 2023.

What it does#

• Replaces the schedule (the official founding-members list) in the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Order with the list provided by the Enrolment Committee on February 14, 2023.
• Adds eight individuals to the Founding Members list. Those people are now entitled to Indian status under the Indian Act.
• Allows the Indian Registrar to update the Indian Register so these additions are recorded.

Who's affected#

• The eight individuals who were added, and their descendants, who may now be eligible for programs tied to registered status.
• Members of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation, because the official founding-members list has been changed.
• Federal program administrators and service providers who manage benefits tied to status, including Non-Insured Health Benefits and the Post‑Secondary Student Support Program.
• The Enrolment Committee and the Government of Canada, which handled the reassessment that led to these additions.

Why it matters#

• Being on the Founding Members list gives real benefits: the added people can now be registered under the Indian Act and access federal programs, services, and rights tied to registered status.
• There may be modest cost increases for programs that support status Indians and their descendants because of the additions.
• This change is the result of a reassessment (including reviews related to disability and residency) that corrected earlier enrolment decisions. If you applied to the Qalipu enrolment process and have questions, the federal contact listed in the original Order can provide details.