What was scrip in Métis history?

• A. A government grant that provided funds to buy farms for Métis families.
• B. A pass that allowed Métis to travel freely across Manitoba.
• C. An official document exchangeable for land offered to the Métis during negotiations of the Numbered Treaties.
• D. A certificate granting Métis citizens full sovereignty in Western Canada.

Answer: (C)

Scrip was a government-issued certificate that could be exchanged for land promised to Métis communities during the negotiation of the Numbered Treaties. It was meant to convert Métis land rights into a title by giving individuals a document they could redeem for land from the government. It’s not a grant to buy farms, a travel pass, or a sovereignty certificate. In practice, many Métis ended up selling or losing their scrip or finding it difficult to redeem, which led to significant loss of Métis land and constrained their ability to secure lasting titles.