COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The 2013-2026 Member Acknowledgment Program

A voluntary act of restoration by the current PNCA Board for community members who came of age during the years when Granville Lake was without a functioning support structure.

CHECK MY ELIGIBILITY

Learn about PNCA and this Program

WHAT IT IS

About the Program

The 2013-2026 Member Acknowledgment Program is a voluntary initiative of the Pickerel Narrows Community Association (PNCA). It provides a one-time $1,000 payment to eligible registered PNFN community members who turned 18 between October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2026.

Our community has been through hard years. Displacement in 2003 scattered our people across Leaf Rapids, Thompson, Winnipeg, Flin Flon, and other locations. Through the years that followed, there was a period when the community was without a functioning support structure — when an original settlement intended for the community was not properly distributed, when PNCA itself became dormant, and when a generation of young adults came of age without the community supports they should have had.

The current PNCA Board, reconstituted in 2023, has spent the years since recovering what could be recovered, advancing the Section 17 band recognition application, and rebuilding community governance. The 2024 settlement of $1,050,000 has been applied to protecting the community's lands, funding the recognition work, and supporting the broader community interest.

From these funds, the Board has set aside $50,000 to provide a concrete acknowledgment to the generation of PNFN young adults who came of age during the dormant years. The Board was not obligated to do this. The Board chose to do this because it believes the community members who received nothing during those years deserve to be recognized.

ABOUT THE REGISTRY

Community Registry

If you are part of Pickerel Narrows First Nation, a descendant of the People of Granville Lake, or directly connected through family or community history, this registry is for you. This is not just a mailing list. It is part of the work of community continuity.

More Than a Mailing List

The purpose of the registry is to help document who the people of the community are, how families are connected, where descendants are today, and how that information can support future community work.

You do not need to know every detail to participate. If you know family names, places, stories, or lineage connections, that information can still be useful.

Children and dependents connected to the community can also be included as part of the broader community record.The registry matters because communities need memory, but they also need structure. A stronger registry helps reconnect families, preserve knowledge, and support future planning, recognition, and representation.

The registry process is designed to keep one master record, preserve original submissions, and support respectful review and follow-up over time.

ELIGIBILITY

Who Qualifies

The Program is open to community members who meet all of the following criteria:

You identify as a member of the Pickerel Narrows First Nation and one of the People of Granville Lake.

You are either a direct descendant of the People of Granville Lake, or you have become part of the community through long-term involvement, family connection, or another genuine community relationship. Non-lineage applicants are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

You turned 18 between October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2026.

You are living at the time of application.

You complete the PNFN Member Declaration, registering as a member of the community.

The Member Declaration is a sworn statement of your identification with PNFN and your family or community connection to the People of Granville Lake. It is also the way PNFN maintains its community registry during the period before formal band recognition.

You do not currently hold any active external appointment adverse to PNFN's interests.

External appointments — from MCCN, MKO, or any other body — that purport to represent PNFN or the People of Granville Lake without PNFN's authorization are disclosed during registration. If you currently hold such an appointment, you can still register as a PNFN community member, but you are not eligible for this Program payment until the appointment has been resolved.

You provide valid government-issued photo identification and sign the Applicant Affidavit.

You confirm your identity with acceptable photo ID (driver's license, provincial ID, passport, or your current status card) and sign an affidavit affirming that you are the person you claim to be and that the information you have provided is true.

THE PROCESS

How the Process Works

The process has two steps. Both are done through this website.

Step 1: Complete the PNFN Member Declaration.

If you have not already registered as a PNFN community member, you start by completing the Member Declaration. This is a sworn statement identifying you as PNFN, documenting your family or community connection to Granville Lake, and placing you on the PNFN Member Register. The Member Register is the permanent community membership record used for elections, governance, and this Program.

Step 2: Complete the Program Application.

Once you are registered as a PNFN community member, you move through the Qualification Questionnaire. The Questionnaire confirms your eligibility for the Program, captures your current residence (for priority), and asks about any external appointments you may hold. If you pass the Questionnaire, you complete the Application — uploading your photo ID, choosing your payment method, and signing the final documents. Your Application is then reviewed by the Board.

Payment Methods

Once approved, you choose how you want to receive the $1,000. Payment methods include Interac e-Transfer (fastest, only requires an email or mobile number), direct deposit to a Canadian bank account, a prepaid Visa or Mastercard sent by mail, or a certified cheque sent by mail. If you need help opening a bank account, PNCA can provide a referral and a letter of support.

PRIORITY & TIMING

Priority and Timing

Priority is given to applicants who currently live within the PNFN traditional territory — Granville Lake, Leaf Rapids, and the surrounding community locations. Priority applications are processed in the order received.

Members who meet the eligibility criteria but live outside the traditional territory are reviewed on a case-by-case basis once priority applicants have been served, subject to funds remaining within the $50,000 budget. Non-lineage community members are also reviewed case-by-case by the Registrar and at least one Board member.

The Program closes on October 31, 2026, or when the $50,000 budget is depleted — whichever comes first. Applications received after the Program closes will not be processed.

Applicants who have already received a $1,000 payment during a community event in early 2026 are counted as already-processed Program payments and will be asked to complete the updated Declaration and Application to bring their file to the current documentation standard.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION

About Your Current Status Card

Many community members who are applying for this Program currently hold Indian Act status cards that show Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (MCCN) as the registering band. This is not a sign that you are MCCN. It is a sign of a long-standing administrative reality that affects our entire community.

In 1910, the Crown placed the People of Granville Lake under MCCN administrative oversight without our consent, without a vote, and without any merger with MCCN. For more than a century, this administrative attachment has continued — which is why our status cards today show MCCN, even though we are a separate and distinct Rocky Cree community with our own history, our own traditional territory at Granville Lake, and our own identity.

Pickerel Narrows First Nation is currently pursuing formal band recognition with Indigenous Services Canada under section 17 of the Indian Act. When that recognition is granted, registered PNFN members will be transferred from the MCCN band list to the PNFN band list under section 11(4) of the Indian Act, and new PNFN status cards will be issued. This is an administrative correction — a restoration of what always should have been.

Your identity as one of the People of Granville Lake is based on your descent, your family ties, your community connection, and your identification with the community. Your current status card does not determine your identity. What your status card will say in the future, once PNFN is recognized, is going to match what your identity has always been.

Understanding this clarification is part of registering as a PNFN community member. When you complete the Member Declaration, you will confirm your understanding of the distinction between administrative registration (what your status card says right now) and community membership (who you are).

THE COMMUNITY'S STRUCTURE

PNFN and PNCA: Complementary Parts of the Community

This Program is administered by the Pickerel Narrows Community Association (PNCA). Understanding the difference between PNCA and PNFN — and why both exist — helps you understand the Program and our community's broader governance structure.

PNFN is the community's governance body.

Pickerel Narrows First Nation is the community itself and its elected government. The Headman and Council, elected by community members, speak for the community on matters of political leadership, treaty rights, consultation with the Crown, band recognition, and community law. PNFN is who we are as a people.

PNCA is the community's economic-development body.

The Pickerel Narrows Community Association is a Manitoba non-profit corporation established in 2006 to manage community funds, administer settlements, run community programs, and advance the community's economic interests. PNCA operates under Manitoba corporate law with its own Board of Directors. PNCA is how the community does the practical work of stewarding funds and delivering programs.

PNFN and PNCA work together.

These two bodies have distinct roles but serve the same community. PNFN is the political voice. PNCA is the development engine. Together they allow the community to both advocate for itself politically and take practical action on settlements, programs, and economic matters. PNCA does not replace PNFN; PNCA supports PNFN and the community through economic work that PNFN governance is not structured to handle directly. This Program — a voluntary distribution of community funds — is administered by PNCA because PNCA is the body that holds and stewards the funds from which the Program is paid. The Program aligns with PNFN's governance goals and strengthens the PNFN Member Register through its registration requirement.

Quick Join for Updates

Stay connected with brief contact information. You can complete the full registry later.

QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for this Program?

Registered PNFN community members who turned 18 between October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2026, who identify as PNFN / People of Granville Lake, who do not currently hold any active external appointment adverse to PNFN, and who complete the required Declaration and Application with valid photo ID.

Do I have to be of Granville Lake ancestry to qualify?

Not necessarily. Direct descendants of the People of Granville Lake are the primary eligible group. Community members who have become part of PNFN through marriage, long-term residence, family connection, or other genuine community involvement can also apply — these applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Registrar and at least one Board member.

What if my status card says MCCN?

That is true for most PNFN members today. Your current MCCN status card is an administrative reality — not a statement of your identity. What matters for this Program is your identification with PNFN / People of Granville Lake, your community connection, and completion of the Member Declaration. See the status card clarification section above for more detail.

What if I currently hold an appointment from MCCN?

You can still register as a PNFN community member. However, if the appointment purports to represent PNFN or the People of Granville Lake, you are not eligible for the Program payment until the appointment is resolved. You disclose the appointment during registration, and the Board can discuss your options with you.

How long does the process take?

The Member Declaration and Qualification Questionnaire can typically be completed in 15 to 30 minutes online. The Application, including photo ID upload, takes a few additional minutes. Board review of completed applications typically occurs within two weeks. Once approved, payment is issued within a few days by your chosen method.

What if I do not have a bank account?

You have several options. Interac e-Transfer requires only an email or mobile number, not a bank account. You can also receive a prepaid Visa or Mastercard by mail, or a certified cheque by mail. If you would like to open a bank account, PNCA can provide a referral to a bank willing to work with First Nations members and a letter of support confirming your PNFN membership.

What if I do not have photo ID?

Acceptable photo ID includes driver's license, provincial or territorial photo ID card, Canadian passport, and current Indian Act status card (even if it says MCCN — it still works as identity verification). If you do not have any of these, contact PNCA directly. We can discuss alternative identity verification options on a case-by-case basis.

What happens if my application is denied?

If your Application is denied, the Registrar or a Board representative will contact you to explain the reason. In most cases, denials result from incomplete information, unresolved external appointments, or inability to verify community membership. You may be invited to provide additional information, resolve outstanding issues, and reapply.

Does receiving this Program payment affect my other rights?

No. Receiving or declining this Program payment does not affect your rights as a community member, voter, or potential candidate for PNFN elected office under PNFN-LAW-2026-01. It does not resolve or waive any claims related to the original 2006 Manitoba Hydro settlement or any other matter.