by Jaime Battiste

October 1st, 2014 marked the official launch of the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Database. The database is a new service that is being used to collect information about Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw community members and to ensure that community members, regardless of where they are living, can “get involved, be informed, and stay connected” to the work being done by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs to implement our Aboriginal and Treaty Rights.

Chief Deborah Robinson, Lead Chief of the Assembly’s Governance Portfolio, shared her excitement of the database stating that, “it is a great tool to ensure that our community members are informed on the work being done by the Assembly and by Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiation Office (KMKNO). We have heard loud and clear that the Mi’kmaq want to be informed. We understand how important it is to have a community-based process that continues to involve our Mi’kmaq, where ever they may reside.”

Inputting names into the newly established database were the KMKNO employees and designers, Membertou Geomatics. Both, KMKNO and Membertou Geomatics worked collaboratively on the creation and security of this site.

Once people begin to register, this database will be the first time that the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia will have a list of all Mi’kmaq, both on and off-reserve that solely belongs to the Mi’kmaq. That success however, is dependent on participation and by Mi’kmaw community members, near and far, ...