Page 21 - Georgina Island

Population

As of February 2018, the population of our First Nation was
876 people. This population only includes Status Indians. Status
To become enfranchised meant
Indian refers to someone whose parents are of First Nations that the individual had to give
ancestry and whose birth has been registered with Crown– up their status and their treaty
Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada—a federal rights in order to do many
things, such as serving in the
government department. There may be other members of our
army or buying land outside
First Nation who are not registered, resulting in a slightly larger of the reserve. This was the
population than the registration list shows. practice from the early to
mid-1900s. The government
Who may or may not be “status” is troubling for many First considered enfranchised
Nations people because it allows the government to determine people to have become non-
Indigenous. For instance, until
who belongs. In our community, there are members who were
1960, Status Indians could not
born without status and gained it, and there are members who vote in municipal, provincial,
were born with status, lost status through enfranchisement, and or federal elections without
regained it when the Indian Act changed in 1985 (see page 66 of enfranchising. In 1960, all Status
Indians were given the right to
the Resources section for details of these changes).
vote. The policy and practice of
enfranchisement was formally
Having status is separate from having membership for the
stopped in 1985.
Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. We created and
adopted our own membership code in 1987. Since we have
had this in place, we have been able to welcome those who
regained their status into formal Chippewas of Georgina
Island First Nation membership very quickly. Within new
agreements with the government of Canada, we can control WORDS TO KNOW
e’dbendaagzijig (those who belong) ourselves. code: a set of rules or laws

e’dbendaagzijig: those
who belong
Where Our People Live
municipal: to do with a city,
town, district, or other area with
local government

200 Members living on
Georgina Island

676 Members living in
other First Nations or
non-Indigenous communities

Our population includes people who live on our territory and people who
live in other First Nation and non-Indigenous communities. These numbers
are constantly changing since people come and go from our territory.

Georgina Island First Nation 19

ogemawahj_community_book1.indd 19 2019-02-27 10:32 AM

Georgina Island First Nation
ISBN: 0176874925

FN f03-otccb
CO Allan Moon

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