Memberships & Cultural Connections

Clients are supported in understanding the lasting impacts of the Mi’kmaw Oppression Period on current generations. Assistance to help them overcome and reconnect with their heritage, explore membership with their home community bands, with Qalipu and navigate the protective rights of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Valuable historical resources and the 1945 Mi’kmaw census wall art, help clients address the Mi’kmaw identify and address the Mi’kmaw identity crisis.

Membership

Kim Long – Director of Membership

Scope of Services

• Maintains and updates all member files and genealogical records
• Assist with appeals, applications, and renewals of Qalipu First Nation Band status 
• Approves membership eligibility for various programs and services
• Assists with Self-Government portfolios

To Apply/Update Membership/ More Info

Email Kim at klong.fbband@gmail.com or leave a message at 709-647-1370. 

Our profile encompasses two distinct categories of individuals, providing a comprehensive overview of our community:

Band Members:

Definition: Individuals officially registered on our Band List under Flat Bay Band Inc.

Representation: A staggering 99% of residents within the Flat Bay community are actively listed as band members.

Geographic Spread: Beyond the confines of Flat Bay, numerous band members reside across the broader region, province, and even the nation.

Eligible to be Members:

Identification: This category includes Fourth Generation individuals who possess the potential to be listed on our band but currently are not.

Residency Dynamics: Some may reside in a different community and not be listed there, choosing instead to be associated with Flat Bay due to their Mi’kmaw ties. It’s noteworthy that individuals in this scenario have the option to transfer back to the Flat Bay Band Inc. by submitting an application.

Unaffiliated Status: Others may have ties to Flat Bay but are not currently listed on any band. Importantly, these individuals have the opportunity to apply for inclusion on our band list, regardless of their current place of residence. The process is designed to ensure that the connection to Flat Bay is duly recognized and documented.

Membership & Self-Governance Report – August 2022- July 2023.docx

Within our community, there exists a diversity of status affiliations with the Qalipu First Nation band among our members. It’s important to note the following nuances:

Qalipu First Nation Status:

Variability – Some of our people/members hold status with the Qalipu First Nation band, while others do not.

Connection to Another WARD – Certain individuals fall under a different WARD within Qalipu but maintain strong family ties to Flat Bay, emphasizing the interconnected nature of our community.

Family Ties and Affiliations:

Association with Flat Bay – Despite being classified under a different WARD within the Qalipu First Nation, some members are inherently linked to Flat Bay through their family connections.

Recognition of Origins – These individuals acknowledge Flat Bay as the source of their familial roots, underscoring the significance of family ties and ancestral connections within our community.

This dynamic spectrum of Qalipu First Nation affiliations highlights the rich tapestry of our community, where individuals may have varied statuses yet remain united by shared familial and historical bonds to Flat Bay.+Flat Bay Ties

Our band membership adheres to a stringent Fourth Generation Rule, requiring individuals to establish a genealogical link to the 1945 Census. To be eligible for band membership or to update existing records, one must demonstrate a direct connection within four generations to a Mi’kmaw ancestor who was born and/or raised in Flat Bay and was explicitly identified on the 1945 Census.

Specifically, eligibility is established if either you or any of your ancestors—parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, or great-great-grandparent—were enumerated on the 1945 Census for Flat Bay. These ancestors must have been identified as “Indian” or affiliated with English, French, or other categorizations while residing in Muddy Hole, Flat Bay, St. Teresa’s, Middle Brook, encompassing what is now recognized as Flat Bay West, East, and St. Teresa areas.

This stringent criterion ensures that band membership is intrinsically tied to a historical lineage rooted in Flat Bay, as recorded in the 1945 Census. It underscores the significance of ancestral ties and historical continuity within the community, maintaining a connection to the diverse cultural fabric of Flat Bay Mi’kmaw heritage.

Our band membership is based on a Fourth Generation Rule. To update or be on our band membership, one must be 1945 Census linked within four generations of a Mi’kmaw ancestor who was born and/or raised in Flat Bay, identified on that census.

This means that either YOU or your Parent, Grandparent, Great Grandparent or Great-Great Grandparent was listed on the 1945 Census for Flat Bay (East, West & St. Teresa, Middle Brook areas) identifying as Indian of some nature, English, French, etc.

1945 Census of Links to Flat Bay Mi’kmaq

Individuals listed as French/English “Indian”
Living in Muddy Hole, Flat Bay, St. Teresa’s,
Middle Brook = Flat Bay West, East St. Teresa today

To Make an Application 

To make an application to the Flat Bay Band Inc. because you believe you are a fourth generation relative to Flat Bay, you must apply for membership with the Flat Bay Band.

Transfer from another Band

To transfer from another band, because you believe you are a fourth generation relative to Flat Bay, you must request a letter of transfer from your current band, and you must also contact Kim Long (Director of Membership) for an application form.

To Apply or For More Information

Email Kim Long @ klong.fbband@gmail.com or leave a message at 709-647-1370. 

Membership Criteria, as per section 2 of our By-laws

2.1 Members – Flat Bay Band Inc. Band List: Only those persons admitted to membership in accordance with these By-Laws, and no others, shall be members of the Band and their names shall be entered on the Flat Bay Band Inc. band list accordingly. While the Band Council will make every effort to keep the list and member contact information updated, it will be the primary responsibility of its members to report new information for updates.

2.2 Admitting a Member to the Flat Bay Band Inc. Band List: Applications may be received by Management at any time and shall be referred to the Band Council for a determination.

2. a) The Band Council shall admit any person, without bias, who has applied and meets the criteria set out in these By-Laws described in Section 2.3.
3. b) Where there is reasonable doubt for an applicant’s criteria, the application should be paused until the applicant provides more information to warrant acceptance or denial.
4. c) Upon admitting any person into the membership, Management shall enter that person’s name and contact information on the Band List as a Member of the Flat Bay Band Inc. and file their updated form and supporting documentation in their membership file.
5. d) Both acceptance and denial of applications shall be followed up with a letter within ninety (90) days of the Band Council decision.

2.3 Membership Criteria: The Band Council in determining its own membership shall use the following criteria:

Demonstrated Mi’Kmaw descent through either of the following:

• Census records demonstrating Mi’Kmaw genealogy (French Indian and/or Indian) living in the territory within four (4) generations; or
• The first-generation member is a direct descendant of the census link and can show relation by another census link, historical documentation, and/or an affidavit; or
• Descent (birth or legal adoption) showing that he/she is a direct descendant from any person that meets any of the criteria contained above.

Plus
Substantial connection to the Village/Community:

• Former or residency in the Village/Community; or
• Mi’Kmaw family links being former or current residents of the Village, within four (4) generations.

In Community – Traditional Voting Members

Traditionally only individuals who live in the community and are updated members of the Flat Bay Band Inc. can be voting members.

As per section 3.6 of our by-laws Voting Members shall meet all of the following qualifiers:

1. 1. Must be the age of eighteen (18) or more years. 

Plus:

1. 2. Must be on the updated Four Generations Membership List dated before the end of the fiscal year July 31. 

Plus:

1. 3. Must live in the village/community for no less than six (6) months before the deadline to file the nomination OR be accepted as an Out-of-Community Voter.

Out of Community Voting Members

In 2018, we updated our voting membership to honor members who live outside of the community and have shown outstanding participation despite the challenges of location.

As per section 3.7 of our By-laws Out of Community Voters: Members of the updated Flat Bay Four Generations Membership List (before the end of the fiscal year July 31st) who do not live in the community may apply to be an Out-of-Area Voter by demonstrating they show an outstanding participation in the Flat Bay Band Inc. community and culture, despite not living in the community. They must meet a minimum of two (2) qualifiers below, one from Section A and one from Section B below.

SECTION A

1. Proof of having attended three of five AGAs in the last five years (Minutes and/or attendance records from the Flat Bay Band of the past five AGAs).
2. Proof of having attended three out of five Powwows in the last five years (Photos with affidavits of the date, within the last five years, or letter from the Flat Bay Band Inc., or of having worked or volunteered at the powwow).
3. Be commonly known and accepted as a volunteer with the Flat Bay Band Inc. (Letter from the Flat Bay Band Inc. of having worked or volunteered within the last five years).

SECTION B

1. Be on the band’s Email Memo List and provide questions or feedback from time-to-time (Letter from the Flat Bay Band Inc. or email copies from the last five years).
2. Be an “active” participant the Flat Bay Four Generations Group, having posted topics of interest a minimum of three times and/or updated their family profile at least once each calendar year (Copies of activity on the page within the last five years).
3. Be an active participant in any of the Band’s on-line groups, such as language programs (Copies of site activity).

• As per section 3.8 of our by-laws, accepting a member as an Out of Community Voter Applications may be received by Management at any time and shall be referred to the Band Council for a determination.

1. The Band Council shall admit any person, without bias, who has applied and meets the criteria set out in these By-Laws described in Section 3.6 and 3.7.
2. Where there is reasonable doubt for an applicant’s criteria, the application should be paused until the applicant provides more information to warrant acceptance or denial.
3. Upon admitting any person into the membership, Management shall enter that person’s name and contact information on the Out of Area Voters List with supporting documentation in their membership file.

Both acceptance and denial of applications shall be followed up with a letter within ninety (90) days of the Band Council decision.

As per section 3.9 of our by-laws, Members who have been accepted as Out-of-Area Voters have the power to vote at AGA meetings and elections, but they do not have the power to run in an election for a position on Band Council.

Apply for Out-of-Area Voting Membership

Email Kim Long @ klong.fbband@gmail.com or leave a message for her 709-647-1370. 

A Community Hub for Connection

Our Flat Bay Four Generations Facebook page stands as a vibrant social media platform, serving as a dedicated space for our members to stay informed through notifications and updates. It also provides a unique opportunity to share cherished family photos and celebrate the legacies of our ancestors.

Exclusive Membership Criteria – This group is exclusively reserved for individuals within the fourth generation of Flat Bay Mi’Kmaq heritage. Eligibility is contingent upon a direct familial connection to a parent or a great-great-grandparent who is unequivocally identified as a Mi’Kmaw person and has either lived or is currently residing in Flat Bay.

Approval Process – To gain admission to the group, interested individuals must answer the Four Generations Connections question thoroughly. This ensures that every member aligns with the specified criteria and enhances the cohesiveness of the community.

Join Us on Facebook -Experience the camaraderie and shared heritage by joining our Flat Bay Four Generations Facebook Group. Connect with like-minded individuals, receive timely updates, and contribute to the rich tapestry of our collective history.

Join us on Facebook: Flat Bay Four Generations Facebook Group

Embrace the spirit of community and heritage as we come together to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Flat Bay Mi’Kmaq through this engaging and exclusive social media space.

Join us on Facebook

Flat Bay Four Generations Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FlatBayFourGenerations/permalink/2092252904327867/