Métis “Famous Five”
Members of the Métis Association of Alberta with a member of Legislative Assembly, Edmonton, Alberta, about 1935. Glenbow Museum, NA-1899-8
1932
The Métis Association of Alberta aimed to improve socio-economic conditions and protect land rights for the Métis in Alberta. The association was founded in 1932 by Felix Calliou, Joseph Dion, Jim Brady, Malcolm Norris and Peter Tomkins — who were dubbed the Métis Famous Five. The provincial government’s Ewing Commission responded to their lobbying attempts, producing its final report in 1936. This report led to Alberta passing the first Métis-specific legislation in Canada — the 1938 Métis Population Betterment Act — which provided land settlements to the Métis.
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