Alberta is the only province that has passed legislation protecting Metis lands through the Metis Settlements Accord. It established the only form of Metis government in Canada.
On July 1, 1989, the Metis Settlements General Council and the Alberta government entered into a partnership with the signing of the (Alberta) Metis Settlements Accord. The Accord is a package of legislation and financial agreements between the Metis Settlements and the province of Alberta. The Accord accomplished several things:
- Transfer ownership of land (1.28 million acres) to the Metis Settlements by way of "letters patent". Under the Acts the Settlements lands are protected;
- Provided for the constitutional protection of lands transferred by an amendment to the Alberta Act, the province's constitution;
- Legislation that creates practical and democratic forms of local self-government;
- A Co-Management Agreement between the Metis Settlements and the province of Alberta regarding the long-term management of natural resources under Settlement lands;
- The Alberta Metis Settlements Commission agreement reading the terms of reference of a Commission to over see the implementation of the Accord and its finances;
- A consent judgment resolving the Metis Settlements litigation against the province.
The signing of the Metis Settlements Accord resulted in the subsequent enactment of the Metis Settlements Accord Implementation Act, Metis Settlements Land Protection Act, Metis Settlements Act, and the Constitution of Alberta Amendment Act on November 1, 1990.
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