Resolution on Bounty Proclamation

The Nova Scotia legislature has asked the federal government to confirm that a disputed colonial proclamation no longer has any force or effect in Canadian law.

The Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Michael Baker, today introduced a resolution to deal with the 1756 Proclamation by then-Gov. William Lawrence. That proclamation offered a bounty against the Mi'kmaq.

Historical research has shown that only two out of three such proclamations had been formally repealed by the colonial administration of Great Britain.

"Officials with the federal Department of Justice have confirmed our earlier belief, that a federal action is required to deal with any uncertainty over a colonial issue," said the minister. "Obviously, in 1756 Nova Scotia wasn't even a province."

"I'm pleased that when I brought this to the attention of Robert Nault, the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, he indicated his full support for dealing with this. It comes after months of behind-the-scenes work by our Office of Aboriginal Affairs," said Mr. Baker.

"Our position has been that federal authorities should resolve this out of respect for Mi'kmaq living in Nova Scotia. And I must stress that in modern-day Canada, our laws obviously prohibit the kind of hostile actions that took place two-and-a-half centuries ago," he added.

Mr. Baker's resolution called on MLAs to ask the government of Canada to confirm that the 1756 Proclamation is no longer of any force or effect. It also invited the federal government to join Nova Scotia in expressing sincere regrets over past hostilities between the Mi'kmaq and colonial settlers.