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Enfranchisement of Women



Beginning with the Gradual Enfranchisement Act, and replicated in the Indian Act of 1876, Indian women who married non-treaty Indian men, white men, or Metis were considered "enfranchised", and could, upon their request and approval by their First Nation, be provided with a one-time payment of ten years’ worth of annuities, referred to as commutation.


During the late 1800s there were hundreds of enfranchisements, but this number increased exponentially after 1920 when the power to refuse commutation was removed from First Nations and the government took it upon themselves to actively remove women from tribal annuity rolls, and ultimately reduce the annual treaty expenditures owed to First Nations women.


​A listing of women removed from their Indian rights is provided below:


TREATY 1 BANDS


Treaty #1. St. Peter's Band


1879-80.

Harriet Hunt


1883-84.

Margaret McLeod, No. 146.

Margaret Pritchard, No. 357.


1884-85.

Lydia Sutherland, No. 354.

Jane White, No. 371.

Charlotte Desrosiers, No. 170.

Emily Ibester, No. 361.

Margaret Thom, No. 63.

E. J. McLeod, No. 136.

Caroline McDonald, No. 388.

Victoria Young, No. 166.

Nancy Leask, No. 143.

Lucy West, No. 409.

Nancy Marsh, No. 42.

Jane Grey, No. 322.

Jane M. Snider, No. 394.

Lucy Fiddler, No. 101.

Catherine Walker, No. 401.


1886-1887

Jessie Spence, No. 304.

Catherine Kennedy, No. 510.


1887-1888

Georgina Stark, No. 365.


1888-1889

Mrs. Catherine Ann Michaud, No. 536.

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Clouston, No. 511.

Mrs. Catherine Gilliaud, No. 77.


1889-1890

Eliza Daniels, No. 295.

Mrs. Ed. Kippling/Keplin, No. 551.


1890-1891

Matilda Asham, No. 6.

Harriet Fontaine, No. 531.


1891-1892

Mrs. Joseph Moore, No. 394..

Mrs. Sarah Sasford, No. 49.

Mrs. Sarah Sargeant, No. 558.

Mrs. Jane Mowat, No. 218.

Eliza Ann Walker, No. 393.


1892-1893

Nancy Harper, No. 54.

Annabella Gates, No. 560.


1893-1894

Mrs. Mary Ann Hamelin; No. 99.

Mrs. Margaret Sinclair, No. 142.

Caroline Mayo. No. 490.

Esther Flett-Kippling, No. 526.

Mrs. Margaret Rochen, No. 374.

Juliet Kennedy, No. 569.


1894-1895

Mary Ann Folster, No. 639.

Flora Bella Harper, No. 646.

Mary Minnie, No. 613.


Treaty #1. Long Plain Band


​1885-1886

​Anne Favel, No. 12.


Treaty #1. Fort Alexander Band

​

1884-1885

Rosalie Gagnon, No. 53.

​

1886-1887

Agnes Briere, No. 20.


1890-1891

Mary Ann ,Johnston, No. 160.

Angelique Johnston, No. 162.


1893-1894

Mrs. Elizabeth Lecoy, No. 157.


1894-1895

Maria Adele Starr, No. 40 .


1895-1896

Catherine Cavanagh, No. 182.​


Treaty #1. Brokenhead River Band


​1884-1885

Charlotte Lapierre, No. 53.


1887-1888

Kapoosohahsohting, No. 28.


1892-1893

Alice Linklater, No. 130.


Treaty #1. Roseau River Band


1894-1895

Margaret Nolin, No. 183.


TREATY 2 BANDS


Treaty #2. Lac Seul Band

​

1886-1887

Hannah Mcivor, No. 75.

Magna Young, No. 103.

Louisa Kirkness, No. 116.


1895-1896

Mrs. A. R. J. Bannatyne, No. 102.


Treaty #2. Lake Manitoba Band


1881-1882

Maria Misayabit, No. 20.

Margaret Misayabit, No. 21.

Shaw-aw-way-in-cit-ah-wook, No. 24.

Isabella, No. 1.


1882-83.

Mary Saunderson.


1891-1892

Marie Ste. Matte, No. 58.


Treaty #2. Ebb and Flow Lake Band


1880-81.

Isabella McAulley, No. 29.

Suzanne Sinclair, .No. 37.

Marguerite Moar, No. 28.

Lake Manitoba Band

Margaret Monkman, No. 24.


1891-1892

Elsie Spence, No. 46.​


Treaty #2. Fairford Band


1880-1881.

Mary Jane Garreoch, No. 12.


1881-82.

Elizabeth Moar, No. 5.


1893-1894

Jane Anderson, No. 55.


Treaty #2. Water Hen River Band


1889-1890

Maria Lamalice, No. 33.


1894-1895

Maria Lacouette, No. 38.​


Treaty #2. Pine Creek Band


1894-1895

Sophie Napakisit, No. 18.


TREATY 3 BANDS


Treaty #3. North-west Angle Band


1895-1896

Mary Morisseau, No. 12.


Treaty #3. Grassy Narrows Band


1892-1893

Isabella Jette, No. 46.


Treaty #3. Couchiching Band


​1893-1894

Elizabeth Mainville, No. 44.

Maria Jourdain, No. 7.


Treaty #3. Islington Band


1894-1895

Ann Savyard, No. 16.


Treaty #3. Dalles Band


1894-1895

Mrs. James Swan, No. 46.


Treaty #3. Nickousemenicaning Band


1894-1895

Mary Brown, No. 19.


Treaty #3. Wabigoon Band


1894-1895

Sarah Park, No. 5.


TREATY 4 BANDS


Treaty #4. Pasquah's Band


1883-1884

Marguerite Parisien.

Marie Hose Parisien.

Mame Parisien.

Frarcoise Parisien.

Teresa St. Denis.

Julie St. Denis.

Rosalie St. Denis.

Marie St. Denis.


1884-1885

Julia Angneau, No. 71.

Melaine Wallet, No. 66.


Treaty #4. Blackfoot Reserve


1886-1887

Sally Bird.


Treaty #4. Muscowequan's Band


1883-1884

Francoise Desjarlais.

lsabelle Desjarlais.

Caroline Blondeau.

Melanie Blondeau.


Treaty #4. Little Black Bear's Band


1883-1884

Mary Ann McKay, No. 12.


Treaty #4. Assiniboine Reserve


​1885-1886

Susie Thompson, sister of Chief Jack.

Keeseekouse-Mary McDonald, No. 13.


Treaty #4. Cowesess' Band


1883-1884

Caroline Peltier, No. 27.

Mrs. Trochier or Oopeepeewahnook, No. 9.


1885-1886

Theresa Breland.


1890-1891

Marie Gervais, No. 83.


1894-1895

Susanne Nadeau, No. 37.​


Treaty #4. Muscowpetung's Band


1885-1886

Sarah Fisher, No. 37.

Mary Thomas, No. 37.


Treaty #4. Peepeekeesis' Band


1887-1888

Philomena Daniels, No. 35.


Treaty #4. Gordon's Band


1887-1888

Elizabeth H. Pratt, No. 10.


1894-1895

Virginia Favel, No. 54.

Mrs. Nancy LaVallie, No. 13.