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Q) What happened to
the Ontario Metis Aboriginal Association? |
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A) It appears that the
OMAA no longer exists because of financial
difficulties. The OMFRC is attempting to fill
the void left by them. |
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Q) What is the
OMFRC? |
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A) The Ontario Metis
Family Records Center is an organization
dedicated to the research and preservation of
records relating to aboriginal and Metis
families. We are offering the Certificate of
Aboriginal Status cards as a service to the
Metis community. One of the goals of the OMFRC
is to promote pride in people’s native ancestry
and we feel that the cards are an important part
of that goal. |
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Q) What is the
definition of Metis? |
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A) Every organization
seems to have its own definition of Metis. When
the federal government added Metis to our
Constitution they failed to provide an official
definition. That failure has led to a great deal
of confusion and debate. We feel that many of
the definitions are unduly restrictive and
unfair. Our definition is simple - anyone with
an aboriginal ancestor. Please go to Canadian
Constitution for a broader explanation. |
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Q) Who can join the
OMFRC? |
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A) Membership is open to
anyone with an aboriginal ancestor. We place no
restrictions on how long ago that ancestor lived
or where they lived. We also offer Associate
memberships for others who want to support our
work. |
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Q) Do you only have
records for Ontario? |
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A) While Ontario is our
primary focus, we gather information from
sources throughout Canada and the United States.
People associated with the fur trade often
traveled extensively and left traces of
themselves in various places. The American War
of Independence caused huge upheavals in native
populations and again you can find references to
various individuals in both Canada and the
United States. There are also many people who
can trace their aboriginal ancestry back to
links to the American Colonies. History dictates
that our research encompasses all of North
America. |
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Q) What if I know
very little about my family history? |
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A) If you believe that
you have a native ancestor but don’t have
detailed information, send us an application.
Give us every fact and every family tradition
known to you. We will try to match your
information to our extensive files. If we are
unable to do so, your membership fee will be
returned to you in full. |
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Q) Where does the
OMFRC get its information? |
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A) We gather our
information from a vast variety of sources
including various government records, census
records, land grants, cemetery records, local
history books, genealogies, church records,
military records, and many, many other sources.
Information provided by our members is a vital
part of our research. |
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Q) What does
membership cost? |
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A) Please see Membership
Information for full details. Costs vary based
on the type of membership you choose and the
length of your membership. |
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Q) How far back do
your records go? |
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A) Our records date back
to the early 1400s. Most span the last two to
three hundred years. |
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Q) What is unique
about your organization? |
| Most Metis organizations
require that you provide proof of your
aboriginal ancestry. While such proof makes our
job far easier, if you don’t have it we will try
to match your information to our files to prove
your descent. Our databases are huge and at
least part of your family history is probably
already on file. |
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Q) How do I join? |
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A) You can print an
application by clicking on Application Form and
following the instructions. You can also send us
an e-mail or a letter requesting that we mail an
application to you, or you can phone us – see
Contact Us |
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Q) What happens if
I apply for membership and my application isn’t
accepted? |
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A) If we are unable to
approve your application your payment will be
returned to you in full. Cheques and/or money
orders are not deposited until the application
has been approved. |
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Q) I
belonged to the OMAA, do I need to fill out a
new application? |
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A) Yes, we need a new
application and photo. We are a separate
organization and we don’t have the OMAA’s
records. |
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Q) Can I use my old
OMAA application form to apply for membership? |
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A) Yes you can. It
provides us with the same basic information we
require. |
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Q) What is an
Associate membership? |
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A) Associate memberships
are for those people who want to support our
work but don’t qualify for regular membership. |
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Q) Why should I
apply for membership for my children? |
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A) As I’m sure you know
there are very few forms of photo ID for
children. In our increasingly troubled world
their membership card may provide needed
identification. We have also found that children
take pride in their cards and that pride in
their heritage stays with them in later life.
Promoting pride in aboriginal ancestry is one of
the goals of the OMFRC. |
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Q) After I apply,
how long will it be before I receive my card? |
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A) Assuming that your
application is approved, you will normally
receive your card two to three weeks after your
application is received by us. The application
is processed and the card is produced in a
matter of days. The delay is with the mail. It
is impossible to predict how long delivery will
take. |
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Q) If I have a
great deal of my family’s history, do you want
it? |
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A) Most definitely.
Information is the most valuable thing you can
give us. What you provide us with might well
confirm the native ancestry of countless other
people. Everything we document will be available
to future generations. Information kept to
yourself may well be lost someday if another
family member isn’t interested in retaining that
knowledge. |
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Q) What type of
photo is required? |
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A) Any size photo is
acceptable. We use graphics software to edit it
to a head and shoulders shot. Try to send one
that shows your face clearly and isn’t too dark.
If you plan to use your membership card for
identification purposes, you shouldn’t be
wearing a hat or other head covering. |
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Q) Can I get a
replacement card if mine is lost or damaged? |
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A) Lost or damaged cards
will be replaced at no cost to you. If you have
a Life membership, you can ask for a replacement
card every five years if you feel that a more
recent photo of yourself would be appropriate. |
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Q) What does the
OMFRC do? |
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A) Our primary goal is
researching and documenting the aboriginal and
Metis families, with an emphasis on Ontario. Our
secondary goal is promoting pride in aboriginal
ancestry. Eventually there will be a number of
publications produced to aid in aboriginal
family research. While we are not primarily a
political organization we will be undertaking
various projects based on what is important to
our members. Your suggestions are always welcome
and will be given careful consideration. |
About
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