Qalipu adds 113 founding members

Summary#

The Order Amending the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Order (SOR/2022-266) updates the list of founding members of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation to add 113 people. The order took effect on December 7, 2022, and those added are now entitled to be registered as Status Indians under the Indian Act.

What it does#

• Replaces the schedule to the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Order so the official founding-members list matches the list the Enrolment Committee gave to the government on November 7, 2022.
• Adds 113 individuals to the Qalipu founding-members list.
• Makes those 113 people eligible to be registered on the Indian Register and to receive associated federal programs and benefits (for example, health and post‑secondary supports mentioned in the notice).
• Implements the results of reassessments and appeal decisions following the Federal Court matter Wells et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) and later administrative reviews (including on the basis of disability and residency).

Who's affected#

• The main people affected are the 113 individuals now added to the founding-members list and their descendants, who can now be registered as Status Indians.
• The Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation membership as a whole may see small changes in who is officially counted as a founding member.
• The process and decisions involved the Enrolment Committee, the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, and the federal Department of Indigenous Services (listed as contact in the notice).
• If it’s unclear who else might notice effects (for example, specific programs or community services), the notice does not provide detailed lists beyond the federal programs named.

Why it matters#

• Being added as a founding member and registered under the Indian Act opens access to certain federal programs and benefits (the notice specifically mentions things like Non‑Insured Health Benefits and Post‑Secondary Student Support).
• The change corrects outcomes of earlier enrolment decisions after appeals and targeted reassessments (including for people who had disabilities that limited travel, or who lacked documentation of residency).
• Because the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation is a landless band, community-based funding options tied to reserve land are not available, so the practical effects are mainly individual eligibility for federal programs rather than changes in land or community funding.