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Citizen-Wide Survey on Land-Use and Harvesting Rights

The Otipemisiwak Métis Government: The Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta Environment and Climate Change, Consultation, and Harvesting departments are conducting a survey to gather information from ALL Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizens to understand how many citizens participate in harvesting activities (specifically fishing, hunting, and trapping) and if citizens are registered Harvesters with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, regardless of whether they actively harvest or not. The data collected from this survey will help to inform Harvest-related data collected through other mechanisms, which in turn, will be used by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government to help inform wildlife management and conservation within Canada and to protect Métis citizens’ ability to exercise their section 35 rights. One example includes allowing the extrapolation and estimation of the total Métis harvest for the annual Environment and Climate Change Migratory Bird Harvest Survey, as well as similar surveys.

Additionally, Citizens that actively participate in harvesting activities will have the opportunity to share additional information about their experiences, potential impacts on their rights, and barriers they might face when harvesting. This information is important for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government to collect in order to understand how Métis Citizens are exercising and asserting their section 35 rights, potential impacts to those rights, and to inform on how the Otipemisiwak Métis Government might best act to support harvesting activities within the community.

The Otipemisiwak Métis Government is asking for ALL Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizens to fill out this survey and share information about their participation in harvesting activities. For Citizens that do not actively harvest, this survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete, for those that do harvest, it could take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete, depending on the number of harvest activities they participate in. All Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizens who participate in the survey are entered to win 1 of 5 $100 VISA gift cards.

Survey participation is voluntary. Participants must be aged 18 and older. Only one survey response per individual. If you submit this survey, you agree to the terms of the program consent form. Please see below to review and accept the consent form. Survey responses are anonymous, and completing this survey will have no bearing on present or future abilities to harvest as per S.35, Constitution Act, 1982. All personal information, including email and Citizen ID, are requested for prize entry only, and will be kept separate from the remainder of your survey responses to ensure anonymity.

Thank you for participating in this survey and helping us understand Métis harvesting practices within Alberta.

For information on the Métis Harvesting in Alberta Policy and how to apply for an approved MNA Harvester Card click here.
1.Informed Consent:

You are invited to participate in an Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizen Wide Survey on Land-Use and Harvesting Rights that is being conducted jointly by the Environment and Climate Change, Consultation, and Harvesting departments.

Purpose of this project
This survey seeks to identify the number of Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizens that actively participate in harvesting activities (specifically hunting, fishing, and trapping), and through which licensing or agreement mechanisms that participation is facilitated, such as having a Harvester Card. This information will help inform wildlife management and conservation within Canada and to protect Métis citizens’ ability to exercise their section 35 rights. One example includes allowing the extrapolation and estimation of the total Métis harvest for the annual Environment and Climate Change Migratory Bird Harvest Survey, as well as similar surveys. Information may be summarized and shared to enhance public education, inform fisheries and wildlife management, or to bring awareness to community impacts and concerns regarding land-use and harvesting rights. Information may be shared through reports, presentations, and posts on the Otipemisiwak Métis Government's website, email newsletter, and social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).

Your participation in this project
If you agree to participate in the Citizen Wide Survey on Land-Use and Harvesting Rights, you will share information with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government about your harvesting activities. Your information will be collected through a series of questions included in this survey. Your participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw from the program at any time. For this project, all survey data collected is owned by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

Benefits and risks of research
The potential benefits of your participation in this program include sharing your knowledge to create awareness regarding harvesting activities and potential impacts to Métis harvesting rights, and opportunities to win various prizes when awarded during prize draws. There are no anticipated individual risks of participating in this research.

Use, access and storage of survey content
The MNA may use information you share through this program in the production of reports, presentations, social media posts, and information summaries which may be shared with external parties (e.g., government, academics). However, personal information will never be shared without obtaining prior consent from the individual. All information submitted will be stored securely through the Otipemisiwak Métis Government data management processes.

Questions and contact information
If you have questions about this project, please email Environment@metis.org