Welcome to Métis Services Canada

Métis Services Canada (MSC) is a Métis-focused agency dedicated to empowering Métis individuals to exercise their rights under the Jay Treaty. As proud stewards of Métis identity, we verify and certify blood quantum and lineal descent to help you cross the U.S.-Canada border freely, live, and work in the United States, as guaranteed by Article III of the 1794 treaty.

In Canada, Métis identity thrives through community, culture, and history—not blood quantum. But the U.S. requires proof of at least 50% Indigenous ancestry for Jay Treaty rights. MSC bridges this gap by working with Métis locals and organizations to document your Métis heritage and, where applicable, other Indigenous ancestry. Our certified letters under the certified personnel issued from MCAB, rooted in your ancestral ties to historic Métis communities like Red River, ensure your rights are recognized. We employ certified MCAB Metis Geneaologists, MCAB certified tribal liasons, certified MCAB Metis Data Anaylists who specialize in the accuate overview and calculations of blood quantum data.

From genealogy to advocacy, we’re here to support you with respect and integrity. Join us to reclaim your cross-border mobility and strengthen Métis sovereignty across the invisible line.

CROSS BORDER LAWS

Documentation for U.S. and Canadian Immigration Authorities U.S. Law – INA Section 289 (8 U.S.C. § 1359) and 8 CFR § 289.2: Section 289 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides that American Indians born in Canada with at least 50% American Indian blood are exempt from certain immigration requirements. The implementing regulation, 8 CFR § 289.2, states: ”An American Indian born in Canada who is entitled to the exemption provided by section 289 of the Act shall be permitted to enter the United States upon establishing his identity and status as such an Indian. The determination of such status may be based upon a finding that he possesses 50 per centum or more of the blood of the American Indian race or that he is a member of a tribe, band, or group of American Indians recognized by the United States.” (Source: Code of Federal Regulations, Title 8, Section 289.2.)

CBP Policy: Eligibility includes individuals with tribal enrollment or direct descent from a U.S.-recognized tribe (e.g., Pembina Band, part of Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), even if blood quantum is below 50%, provided they demonstrate community ties or descent through documentation like tribal rolls or scrip records. Canadian Law – Indian Act, Section 35, and IRCC Policy: Section 35 of the Canadian Indian Act acknowledges Indigenous rights to cross-border mobility under the Jay Treaty. IRCC policy implements these rights, allowing American Indians born in Canada to enter and remain in Canada upon proving their status, either through 50% or more Indigenous blood quantum or membership in a recognized tribe, band, or group.

"You Cannot Be Métis Without Blood Quantum"

This part is incorrect in the Canadian context, as Métis identity is not defined by blood quantum but by cultural, historical, and community-based criteria. However, the statement may point to the practical necessity of blood quantum for Métis seeking U.S. Jay Treaty rights.

Canadian Métis Identity:
- Legal Definition: Under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, Métis are a distinct Indigenous group. The Supreme Court’s R. v. Powley (2003) decision outlines three criteria for Métis identity:
  1. Self-identification as Métis.
  2. Ancestral connection to a historic Métis community (e.g., Red River, Batoche).
  3. Acceptance by a modern Métis community (e.g., Métis Nation of Ontario).
  - Blood quantum is not required, emphasizing cultural and community ties over biological measures.
- Métis Organizations: Groups like the Métis National Council (MNC), Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), and Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) issue citizenship based on genealogy (e.g., proof of Métis ancestors via scrip or church records) and community acceptance, not a specific percentage of Indigenous ancestry.
- Cultural Rejection of Blood Quantum: Many Métis reject blood quantum as a colonial imposition that undermines their sovereignty and kinship-based identity. Canada’s non-quantitative approach reflects this, avoiding blood quantum letters for Métis.
U.S. Jay Treaty Context:
- For Métis born in Canada seeking Jay Treaty rights (under Article III and INA Section 289), the U.S. requires proof of ≥50% Indigenous blood quantum
- Since Canada does not quantify Métis ancestry, Métis individuals must independently calculate blood quantum using records
- In this sense, Métis seeking U.S. border rights effectively need a blood quantum to be recognized as “American Indians” under the treaty, creating a practical dependency on blood quantum for cross-border purposes.
Contradiction: In Canada, you can be Métis without blood quantum, as identity is community-based. In the U.S., Métis must quantify their Indigenous ancestry to access Jay Treaty rights, aligning with your statement’s implication that blood quantum is necessary in this context.

This emphasizes the U.S. requirement for Métis to prove blood quantum for Jay Treaty eligibility, where being Métis without a quantified ancestry percentage hinders access to rights. However, in Canada, Métis identity exists independently of blood quantum.

Reconciling the Statement

The apparent contradiction in your statement arises from the dual contexts of Métis identity:

Canada: Métis identity is defined without blood quantum, relying on Powley criteria. You can be Métis without ever calculating a percentage of ancestry.
U.S. (Jay Treaty): Métis individuals must quantify their Indigenous ancestry (including Métis and other Indigenous components) to meet the ≥50% blood quantum threshold, making blood quantum a practical necessity for cross-border rights.

The statement may reflect the frustration that Métis individuals, despite not needing blood quantum in Canada, must adopt this colonial metric to access U.S. rights, and that their Métis identity is central to their claim for Indigenous ancestry under the Jay Treaty. However, the bidirectional dependency (“cannot have one without the other”) oversimplifies the issue, as:

Non-Métis Indigenous individuals (e.g., First Nations) can have blood quantum without being Métis.
Métis in Canada can exist without blood quantum, though they need it for U.S. purposes.

Addressing the Jay Treaty Gap

As discussed previously, the lack of blood quantum documentation in Canada creates a gap for Métis seeking Jay Treaty rights. Metis Services Canada was implemented to give clients access to certified documentation. Métis-Centric Blood Quantum: Your statement suggests that Métis identity is inseparable from blood quantum in the Jay Treaty context, as Métis ancestry is often the primary component of their Indigenous blood quantum. For example, a Métis individual with 40% Métis ancestry and 15% First Nations ancestry relies heavily on their Métis heritage to meet the 50% threshold.

U.S. Perspective: The U.S. does not distinguish Métis as a separate group, treating all Canadian-born Indigenous individuals as “American Indians” under INA Section 289. Thus, Métis must quantify their ancestry, reinforcing the practical need for blood quantum to assert their Indigenous (and Métis) identity in the U.S.
Canadian Discrepancy: Canada’s refusal to issue blood quantum letters forces Métis to bridge the gap, aligning with your statement’s implication that being Métis requires engaging with blood quantum for cross-border purposes.

Our Staff is Certified Through Métis Credentialing and Autho

We Adhere to MCAB Certification Standards

MCAB's certification standards define the competencies, requirements, and ethical obligations for each certification, ensuring professionals produce accurate, legally credible, and culturally sensitive ancestry and blood quantum documentation. Standards are structured by certification type, with clear criteria for education, experience, portfolio, exams, ethics, and continuing education, tailored to Métis and Native American contexts like your Jay Treaty needs. To discover who we employ click here the different positions that certify and verify your Metis Heritage Data.

Métis Credentialing and Authorization Board (MCAB) Certifications

The Métis Credentialing and Authorization Board (MCAB) offers the following professional certifications:

MCAB Certified Tribal Enrollment Genealogist (MCAB-CTEG)
MCAB Certified Métis Data Analyst I (MCAB-CMDA-I)
MCAB Certified Métis Data Analyst II (MCAB-CMDA-II)
MCAB Certified Indigenous Blood Quantum Analyst (MCAB-CIBQA)
MCAB Certified Indigenous Genealogy and Data Educator (MCAB-CIGDE)
MCAB Certified Métis Archival Specialist (MCAB-CMAS)
MCAB Certified Indigenous DNA Analyst (MCAB-CIDA)
MCAB Certified Tribal Liaison Specialist (MCAB-CTLS)
MCAB Certified Ancestry Verification Auditor (MCAB-CAVA)
MCAB Certified MIASA Ethics Officer (MCAB-CMEO)
MCAB Certified Métis Genealogist (MCAB-CMG)

MCAB Code of Ethics

All certifications require adherence to MCAB's Code of Ethics, ensuring ethical practice:

Accuracy: Verify all claims with primary sources (e.g., scrip, rolls).
Confidentiality: Protect client data (e.g., your MN-S family records), requiring written consent for sharing.
Cultural Respect: Honor Métis and Native American protocols (e.g., lack of Indian Status, tribal sovereignty).
Non-Discrimination: Provide unbiased services, addressing estrangement or documentation challenges.
Transparency: Disclose limitations (e.g., unverified ancestry) and conflicts of interest.
Compliance: Adhere to U.S./Canadian privacy laws (e.g., CCPA, PIPEDA) and MCAB standard

Bio-Indigenous Analytics

MORE THAN JUST A LETTER

Our experts have been trained and certify to examined with precision your Metis ancestry. When you think you only have one path of ancestral blood, we are able to detect possibly more.

WE USE BIO INDIGENOUS ANALYTICS

What is Bio-Indigenous? Bio is defined for these purposes as Biography; the study of one's life and ancestry. Analytics is the statistical data from your biography that breaks down into a set of values that form an equation that produce as close blood quantum as we can deliver. Because Metis is a mixed heritage of Indigenous status, we take all values from every generation on your documents and calculate the total into a percentage level. Because Metis is not calculated like Status Indians are, the percentages calculated are also different, but are more exact and efficient.

Comprehensive Document Services

Even if you are not applying for Jay Treaty status, you are able to gain knowledge of how much blood quantum you and your family hold.

Welcome

Jay Treaty Documentation Assistance