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Michel Band History

Pre: 1876 - A group of Indian people of Iroquois and Cree descent live northwest of what is now Edmonton, Alberta.

1878 - Michel band entered

Treaty 6 in 1878 by way of an adhesion, signed by Michel Callihoo (Chief)

1880 - A 40-square mile reserve was surveyed as “

Michel I.R. 132" on the Sturgeon River, about eight miles from the Roman Catholic Mission at St. Albert, 15 miles 5 miles northwest of Edmonton. Reserve confirmed by Order in Council PC 1151 on May 17, 1889

Early 1900's - The federal government pressures many Western Indian Bands to surrender large parts of their reserves in order to increase availability of desirable land for European settlers. Many surrenders taken during this time were tainted with fraud, unconscionable or otherwise illegal use of public authority and breach of trust.

1903, 1906, 1910 - Michel Band pressured to surrender parts of reserve in exchange for needed agricultural implements (promised free under the Treaty). The early sales were marked by corruption in Ottawa. The Michel Band’s lands were sold at unfavourable prices at public auctions which appeared to have been designed to favour the bidders - the federal government selling most land to insiders at far below market value. Many of the successful bidders never paid the purchase price and the government never cancelled the sales. Only two percent of the purchase price of the lands surrendered had been paid and the Band received little of the true value of its lands that were sold. In addition, while a member of parliament for Edmonton and the Minister of the Interior responsible for Indian Affairs: Frank Oliver acquired part of the Michel reserve for very little money though a concealed transaction.

April 8, 1911 - Chief Michel Callihoo passes away at his home, Louis Jerome Callihoo (Michels' nephew) becomes chief
1911 - The Crown surrenders 41 acres of the reserve without consent or compensation

1914 - Former Interior Minister Frank Oliver*, acquires 26 quarter-sections of Cree land around Edmonton for half the appraised value at the time of the transaction.

(http://www.epl.ca)1917 - Soloman Callihoo becomes Chief

1928 - 10 Michel band families enfranchise pursuant to the recommendation of an Enfranchisement Board appointed by the Department of Indian Affairs under Section 110 of the 1927 Indian Act so they could have the same rights and freedoms afforded by other Canadian citizens, such as the right to vote and pursue post-secondary education.

1929 - "Michel School" opens. School named after first Chief: Michel

1936 - Fred Callihoo becomes Chief

Pre- & Post-World War II - Michel Band pressured by neighbouring settlers to enfranchise. Some members accept enfranchisement in order to provide their children with a proper education and to remove themselves from the shackles of the Indian Act. After the war, a

dditional pressure was placed on Michel Band members to enfranchise as there was a greater need for agricultural land for returning veterans. Some Band members who had served in the war applied for enfranchisement as they could not access veteran’s benefits that other Canadians received who had served in the same war.

1948 - Roderick Callihoo becomes Chief

1958 - The Department of Indian Affairs wants the Michel band to become a model for group enfranchisement for other Bands in Canada. The Minister appoints a Committee of Inquiry appointed under Section 112 of the 1952 Indian Act as required by the compulsory enfranchisement provision of the Indian Act, to hold an inquiry into the fitness of the Michel Band members to become citizens. Further to the recommendations of the committee -

the entire Michel Band was enfranchised March 31, 1958 by Order in Council P.C. 375

1959 - The compulsory Band enfranchisement provision was repealed by parliament because it conflicted with the Canadian Bill of Rights.

1985 - Under amendments to the Indian Act (Bill C-31), over 750 individual Michel Band members have their Indian status restored. No provision made in Bill C-31 for the restoration of status under the Band enfranchisement provision that was applied to the Michel Band.