Manitoba Metis Federation et. al. v. Canada (A.G.) & Manitoba (A.G.), File No. CI 81-01-01010 (Q.B.)

Description

Section 31 of the Manitoba Act, 1870 provided that 1.4 million acres of land would be allocated \for the benefit of the families of the half-breed residents.\" The Plaintiffs sue, inter alia, for a declaration that Canada failed to fulfill its obligations to the Metis under section 31 of the Manitoba Act, 1870. The Plaintiffs also sue for a declaration that Manitoba, by enacting certain legislation, and by imposing taxes on lands referred to in section 31, unconstitutionally interfered with the fulfillment of the obligations contained section 31. Finally, the Plaintiffs sue for a declaration that there was a treaty made in 1870 between Canada and the Provisional Government of Red River. The Supreme Court of Canada ordered this case to trial after the defendants unsuccessfully applied to have the Statement of Claim struck: Dumont v. Canada (A.G.), [1990] 2 C.N.L.R. 19 (S.C.C.), rev\\'g [1988] 3 C.N.L.R. 39 (Man. C.A.). This document is the Amended Statement of Defence of the defendant Attorney General of Canada."